OMAHA, Neb. — Columbia fought back from a one-goal deficit for what seemed like the entire night until sophomore Sebastian Gunbeyi found the equalizer in the 79th minute, as the Lions held on despite going down to 10 men in overtime, 1-1, Friday night in the season opener against the University of Nebraska Omaha.
 
Columbia (0-0-1) went down a goal less than three minutes into the season when Diego Gutierrez sent Omaha (0-2-1) in front, blasting a cross out of the air at the far post from close range. The Lions took some time to settle in before getting the better part of possession through the final 20 minutes of the opening half but went into the break trailing.
 
After knocking on the doorstep with chance after chance through the second 45 minutes, Columbia finally broke through. Andrew Stevens was the catalyst, winning a header sent into the penalty area from well away from goal to first-year Uri Zeitz at the far side of the box. Zeitz played the header first time back to Stevens, who knocked down the ball, took two steps ahead in traffic and sent a sliding effort toward goal. His bouncing effort trickled in front of Gunbeyi in the six-yard box, who got just enough of the ball to dribble it by the keeper and into the back of the net.
 
Tied at a goal apiece through 90 minutes, the two sides went to overtime at Caniglia Field. Eight minutes into the extra session, the game took another dramatic shift when Michael Collodi was shown a red card. The first-year keeper raced out off his line in an effort to win a ball that slipped in behind the back line from the Omaha half of the field. The referee deemed Collodi to have committed a handball outside of the box, showing him a red card for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
 
Senior Eric Chang came on to replace Collodi with the Lions down a man and made three saves through the final 11 minutes to help the Lions hang on for the draw.
 
"To go down a goal, level the match, go down a man and still find a way to stay in the game and create chances, for us that's a good result on the road," 11th-year head coach Kevin Anderson said. "It shows a lot of character from our group and now we've got a new starting point for what will be another difficult game on Monday.
 
"Fantastic contributions by many of the guys being added into the game at numerous points. You only know who the starting group is at that moment. Guys who are adding to the game make huge contributions and that was evident tonight."
 
Columbia saved nine of Omaha's 10 shots on goal through the night. After the early opening tally, the Mavericks sent three more shots at Collodi in the first 25 minutes, who was up to the task each time to keep the margin a single goal.
 
Midway through the first half, the Lions began to control the better part of the game. Two free kicks off the foot of John Denis had to be dealt with by Omaha keeper Ugo Tritz. The second came from 20 yards and nearly got Columbia off the mark, sailing just high of the crossbar and into the top netting with just a few minutes remaining in the first half.
 
Fantastic play between a pair of first-years almost led to an equalizer in the 62nd minute. Zeitz collected a switch pass from Denis on the far side and played it off to Jon Ned just inside the 18-yard box. Ned touched it right back to Zeitz slipping in behind, who took a shot back across the face of goal that Tritz had to reach back for and stop with his right hand.
 
The Lions threatened again less than 10 minutes later when Gunbeyi raced down the near side and sent a low cross through the box to senior Danny Laranetto in stride. With Tritz closing, Larentto quickly tried to get his shot off but it caught the keeper and sailed over the touch line. Tritz was subbed out following the play with an injury.
 
After leveling and going down to 10 men, Columbia had to hold off Omaha's 10 shots through the two extra periods. The most dangerous opportunity came in the 107th minute, when Marcos Bautista lined up a free kick inches outside the penalty area that required a diving save by Chang.
 
Columbia remains in Omaha through Monday to take on Creighton (1-1-1). The Blue Jays, who are receiving votes in the latest national poll, picked up their first win Friday night against No. 21 Akron.
 
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