NEW YORK — The Columbia women's soccer team returns to the friendly confines of Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium on Saturday evening, bringing in Brown for the Ivy League home opener at 5 p.m. ET. The game will serve as Columbia's Alumnae Day, as well as its Pink Game in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
 
The match will be streamed live on ESPN+, while live results for the contest can be found here.
 
The Lions enter Saturday's matchup with a 6-2-1 overall record, including a 1-0 mark in Ivy League action after capturing a 2-0 triumph at Cornell in the conference opener last Saturday. After a scoreless first half, sophomore forward Mallaika Tomar broke through in the 65th minute on a give-and-go from junior forward Jordyn Geller. Senior midfielder Maddie Temares tacked on the insurance goal in the 80th minute off a double assist from first-years Shira Cohen and Ally Clark.
 
Columbia's victory at Cornell marked the Lions' third-straight shutout performance and fourth of the season. The Lions are allowing just .867 goals per game, while averaging 1.778 goals scored per game. First-year keeper Liz Matei has started in all nine contests thus far, with her 33 total saves ranking third in the conference.
 
SCOUTING BROWN
Ranked No. 11 in the NCAA RPI rankings, the Bears (7-1-1) have enjoyed a strong start to the season, including an Ivy opening 2-1 win over Dartmouth last Saturday. Senior Abby Carchio put Brown on the board in the seventh minute and junior forward Star White scored the game-winner in the 56th to garner Ivy League Player of the Week honors.
 
Brown leads the Ivy League with only three goals allowed on the season, and ranks fourth in the conference with 17 goals scored. First-year forward Ava Seelenfreund leads the Bears in scoring with 10 points behind three goals and four assists.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
The Bears lead the all-time series between the two programs, 14-12-7, having had early success in the series, but Columbia has gone unbeaten against the Bears since 2009. The Lions won their fourth-straight in the series last season, picking up a 2-1 victory on the road.
 
ON DECK
Columbia will play its final non-conference match at Bucknell on Tuesday, Oct. 8, before resuming Ivy League action next Saturday at home against Penn.
 
For the latest on the Columbia women's soccer program, follow @ColumbiaWSoccer on Twitter and Instagram, on Facebook at Facebook.com/ColumbiaWSoccer and on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.