NEW YORK — John Denis scored two goals, including the game-winner in the 74th minute, and assisted a third as the Columbia men's soccer team once again showed its resiliency, defeating Brown, 3-2, in its Ivy League opener Saturday afternoon at Rocco B. Commisso Stadium.
 
Columbia (3-3-2, 1-0-0 Ivy) took a 2-0 lead into halftime. Denis curled in his first goal of the day less than 12 minutes in and played a beautiful through ball for Matthew Swain that doubled the advantage in the final minutes of the half. However, Brown (1-6-1, 0-1-0 Ivy) responded with two goals in the first 15 minutes after the break to bring the game level. A Michael Collodi penalty save stood between what could have been a third goal for the Bears.
 
With the game still level entering its final stages, Columbia was awarded a penalty. First-year Uri Zeitz blasted a shot from outside the area that hit an outstretched arm of a Brown defender. Referee Dave Berkowski signaled for a penalty and John Denis stepped up to take it. He went left with the shot but had it saved by James Swomley. However, the rebound came right back out to Denis, who took full advantage of the second opportunity to put the Lions back on top for good.
 
"It was beautiful just to support the team and for the team to help me be in the spots to contribute. I owe everything to the team," said Denis, who leads the Lions with five goals on the season. "We worked all week on our mentality and we showed that today … This win is huge for our momentum going forward. A win is a win and winning the Ivies is our goal."
 
The five-point performance was the second of the season for Denis, who also recorded a brace to go with an assist in Columbia's 3-2 win at UConn. His 13 points on the season leads all Ivy League competitors.
 
"I always talk about the team and each guy on the team has unique qualities and characteristics," head coach Kevin Anderson stated. "It's everyone's responsibility to help get guys in spots where they can do special things. Whether it's John Denis in the attacking third, the midfield third or the defensive restart, he's put it spots, just like everybody else, to do something that we all believe he can do. To get John into those spots, and him being creative, gives us and him the best opportunity for success."
 
Denis' speed helped create Columbia's opening goal. The senior from Yorktown Heights raced up the left side of the attacking third and played the ball to Zeitz just outside the top of the 18. Zeitz played it right back to Denis just inside the area, who dribbled around his defender and curled in a right-footed shot from 15 yards inside the far post for a 1-0 lead. He nearly added a second just a minute later, firing another curler from almost an identical spot just around the far post.
 
Columbia was largely in control for the opening 20-plus minutes before Brown settled in and had spells of possession. The Bears did little to threaten Columbia's goal, while the Lions came close to doubling their lead on a touch from Gunbeyi that scraped the top of the crossbar.
 
Matthew Swain would make it a 2-0 game before the end of the opening 45 minutes. Denis had control of the ball more than 30 yards from goal and saw Swain making a run behind the Bears' back line. With his teammate signaling, Denis chipped a pass over the Brown defense and in for Swain, who chased it down and finished a bouncing shot from eight yards for a two-goal lead.
 
To Brown's credit, the visitors came out of the locker rooms looking like a different side. Just over six minutes into the second half, Will Mims sent a cross from well outside the box that found Daniel Schiller at the opposite post. Schiller settled with one touch and drove a left-footed shot underneath Collodi to cut the deficit in half.
 
Schiller would take part in Brown's second goal just before the hour mark. This time, he delivered a hard cross off a free kick that met the head of Owen Schwartz and bounced inside the left post to suddenly even up the match.
 
"The game was a bit of a tale of two halves," Anderson added. "Credit to our opponent, who came out and changed some things tactically. It caused some difficulty for us … but after they scored that second goal I thought we created a good amount of opportunities to come out on top."
 
Max Gonzalez took the first of those opportunities, running free into the area and sliding a right-footed shot just wide of the far post. Ten minutes later, the Lions created the chance that ultimately won them the game.
 
Columbia steps away from league action on Tuesday with a visit to Binghamton. The Lions return to Ivy League action next Sunday, Oct. 13, welcoming Penn to Rocco B. Commisso Stadium.
 
For the latest on the Columbia men's soccer program, follow @ColumbiaMSoccer on Twitter and Instagram, on Facebook at Facebook.com/ColumbiaMensSoccer and on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.