NEW YORK — The 2021 Ivy League season kicks off for the Columbia men's soccer team (1-4-2) Saturday night when it hosts Brown (2-5-0). The match will take place at Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium and is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET.
 
Fans unable to attend the match can watch live on ESPN+. Live stats will be available through GoColumbiaLions.com.
 
Fans attending games at the Baker Athletics Complex must adhere to Columbia Athletics and the University's venue protocols. Please find Columbia's venue policies here.
 
Here are five things to know heading into the matchup.
 
#1 | THE IVY LEAGUE OPENER
Columbia is unbeaten in four straight Ivy League openers, including wins each of the last three years, and will play Brown to start league play for a 13th consecutive season. The last time the two sides met was in 2019 and the Lions took all three points, 3-2, in New York. John Denis scored two goals, including the game-winner in the 74th minute, and assisted a third to help lead the Lions to victory. #2 | DEFENSIVE LEADERS
Michael Collodi ranks among the NCAA leaders in goals against average (0.525) and save percentage (.903). The junior keeper ranks No. 17 in GAA, allowing just three goals in more than 500 minutes of game action. His save percentage checked in at No. 4 in the NCAA heading into Friday. Collodi is one of just five keepers in the nation with a save percentage above .900.
 
Columbia's defensive numbers overall are also among the NCAA elite. The Lions rank No. 11 in save percentage (.850) and No. 30 in team GAA (0.806). The Lions' two shutouts, six total goals allowed and GAA all rank No. 1 in the Ivy League.
 
#3 | TRACKING ALL OF THE FIRSTS
Due in part to the 2020 season being cancelled from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lions have had a lot of firsts for the players on their roster this season. Many of them are tracked below:
 
First Collegiate Starts:
- #4 Matthew Leong vs. George Washington (Sept. 3)
- #5 Jake Novoshelski vs. Stony Brook (Sept. 6)
- #7 Adrien Wheaton-Schopp vs. LIU (Sept. 18)
- #9 Paolo Primavera vs. George Washington (Sept. 3)
- #11 Ryan Kipness vs. George Washington (Sept. 3)
- #13 Jack Muoio vs. George Washington (Sept. 3)
- #16 David Walley vs. St. John's (Sept. 13)
- #19 Will DeNight vs. George Washington (Sept. 3)
- #23 Hugo Hamilton vs. Stony Brook (Sept. 6)
- #24 Ryan Wallace vs. Manhattan (Sept. 10)
- #25 Bryan Cosman vs. Stony Brook (Sept. 6)
 
First Collegiate Goals:
- #11 Ryan Kipness vs. George Washington (Sept. 3)
- #5 Jake Novoshelski vs George Washington (Sept. 3)
- #27 Will Todd vs. Manhattan (Sept. 10)
- #25 Bryan Cosman vs. Manhattan (Sept. 10)
 
First Collegiate Assists:
- #5 Jake Novoshelski vs. George Washington (Sept. 3)
- #11 Ryan Kipness vs. George Washington (Sept. 3)
- #9 Paolo Primavera vs. Manhattan (Sept. 10)
 
 
#4 | IN SEARCH OF A BREAKTHROUGH
Columbia has allowed just three goals in its last four games combined, but carry a record of 0-3-1 in those contests after not being able to find a goal of its own. The Lions are in search of their first goal since September 10 in a 2-2 draw with Manhattan, which was scored by Bryan Cosman in the game's 79th minute. The goalless drought currently stands at 411:25.
 

#5 | THE OPPONENT
Brown (2-5-0) comes into Ivy play on four straight losses. The Bears' most recent outing came last Saturday at Siena College, where they surrendered a 2-0 halftime lead and fell to the Saints, 3-2. Derek Waleffe and Brady Van Epps each scored goals for the Bears in the match. Waleffe is the team's leading scorer with four goals to this point. Nine other Bears have also found the back of the net.
 
Max Waldau has started six of the seven matches in goal and carries a 2.67 goals against average. James Swomley started the other match between the posts, which was a 2-0 shutout win for Brown on September 3 against Hartford.
 
Columbia trails the all-time series against Brown 18-35-6. The Lions dominated the series with an 8-2-0 record through the 1980s, including six straight victories from 1982-87. The Bears turned the tide starting in 1993, going unbeaten against Columbia until a 2-1 double-overtime victory by the Lions in 2011. Columbia has won each of its last three meetings against the Bears, outscoring them by a margin of 9-3.
 
 
--
 
For the latest on Columbia men's soccer, be sure to follow the team on Twitter and Instagram (@CULionsMSOC), on Facebook (ColumbiaMensSoccer), or by visiting GoColumbiaLions.com.