NEW YORK – The Columbia women's soccer team (5-3-1) looks to bounce back from its first loss in six games as the Lions host the Brown Bears in Saturday's Ivy League Home Opener. Kickoff is set for 3:00 P.M.
The game will receive additional exposure via live broadcast on
ESPNews and ESPN3. Fans can follow live stats at
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 before Saturday.
#1 | IVY LEAGUE HOME OPENER
Columbia will host its first Ivy League contest in 694 days, dating back to Senior Day of 2019. To celebrate the event, the first 100 fans to arrive will receive a Columbia koozie while all youth spectators, 12 and under, will receive a signed team poster. Fueled by their friends, family, and northern Manhattan neighbors, the Lions will look to secure their first conference win of the year.
#2 OFFENSIVE PROWESS
Columbia is offensively paced by sophomore forward
Nata Ramirez who has scored four goals in eight starts. Twice, strikes off the boot of Ramirez have been game-winners. Freshman
Sophia Cavaliere follows close behind with three goals, including one game-winner. Heading into Saturday, the Lions have outscored opponents 11-9 en route to winning five of the last six games.
#3 | LEAGUE HONOREES
One month into competition, seven different Lions have been named to the Ivy League weekly honor roll. Those awardees are detailed below.
Week 1 (Sept. 1) |
Nata Ramirez,
Ally Clark
Week 2 (Sept. 7) |
Nata Ramirez,
Paige Nurkin
Week 3 (Sept. 13) |
Sophia Cavaliere, Claire Pinnie
Week 4 (Sept. 20) |
Paige Nurkin, Marcia Ojo
Week 5 (Sept. 27) |
Nata Ramirez, Madi Pilla
#4 | A HISTORICAL BATTLE
Columbia will face a Brown team that has gone 6-3 on the season, including a 4-1 victory over Dartmouth in its Ivy League home opener last Sunday. The Bears have outscored opponents 23-12 through nine games, averaging 15.2 shots per game and a 0.533 SOG percentage.
Saturday's match will mark the 35
th meeting between the two storied programs, with Columbia going 12-15-7 in the all-time series. Four of the teams' last five meetings have been decided by one goal with Columbia coming out on top in four consecutive seasons (2015-2018).
#5 | SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Offensively, Brown is paced by reigning Ivy League Player of the Week Brittany Raphino. With a team-best five goals on the season and a trio of assists, the junior forward has amassed 13 total points this year. Last week against Dartmouth, Raphino scored a pair of goals, including the game winner, to rank second in goals in the Ivy League.
Teammates Miya Grant-Clavijo and Ava Seelenfreund follow with three goals and one assist each.
Senior goalkeeper Kayla Thompson has started all nine contests in goal, owning a 1.41 goals against average and 0.647 save percentage. On September, 9 Thompson held UConn at bay, working with sophomore goalkeeper Clare Gagne for a combined shutout.
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For the latest on Columbia women's soccer, be sure to follow the team on
Twitter and
Instagram (@CULionsWSOC), on
Facebook (ColumbiaWSoccer), or by visiting
GoColumbiaLions.com.
