STONY BROOK, N.Y. — Stony Brook scored less than two minutes into the second half and the Columbia women's soccer team never found the equalizer, suffering its first loss of the 2021 season, 1-0, Sunday afternoon at Lavelle Stadium.
 
The match's lone goal came off a set piece from Stony Brook's own half. Kerry Pearson sent a long ball through the air that was headed through to the penalty area. The header hit Alyssa Francese in stride, who got by her marker and poked a shot past the oncoming Audrey Byrne that slowly rolled into the back of the net.
 
Despite outshooting Stony Brook (1-1-1) by a margin of 8-6 and putting four of those shots on goal, Columbia (0-1-1) never found the finishing touch it needed in the final third. Stony Brook keeper Emerson Richmond Burke did well to come off her line when needed and notch four saves to keep the Lions off the board.
 
"Their keeper stopped some good plays," Columbia head coach Tracey Bartholomew said. "It was a physical game and we looked a little tired from Friday. I also thought Stony Brook was very organized and we played right into their hands a few times with some of our chances.
 
"I felt the youth today. We showed our inexperience and lack of playing together. It's the learning process but we'll keep working and come back better next week."
 
One of Columbia's best chances came in the 28th minute when Madi Pilla played a ball up the near side for the speedy Nata Ramirez. The sophomore out of Elizabeth, New Jersey cleverly played the ball past her marker to set herself free. As Ramirez sprinted toward goal, she took one final touch that was a bit too heavy, allowing the Stony Brook keeper to cut off her angle and stop the shot.
 
The Lions applied more pressure through the final five minutes of the first half. Claire Pinnie played a dangerous cross into the center of the area for a streaking Ania Prussak, but Prussak stumbled as she prepared her shot and wasn't able to find the target. Two minutes later, Pinnie found herself in a similar position and got a shot off that went straight into the hands of Emerson Burke.
 
Stony Brook's goal in the opening minutes of the second half seemingly took away all of the momentum Columbia had gathered into halftime. Columbia's first real chance to equalize came off a perfectly weighted ball all the way from midfield that Ally Clark sent to Annie Diaz-Silveira. Columbia's forward was able to settle it, but by the time she got her shot away she had given her defender just enough time to deflect the attempt over the end line for a corner.
 
Perhaps the best chance to level the scoreline came in the 82nd. Nata Ramirez played a ball from just in front of the Columbia bench up to Ally Clark, who was in behind the Stony Brook defense. Unfortunately, Clark's first touch was not what she intended, which allowed her marker to tackle it away and dispose of the threat.
 
After starting the season with back-to-back matches on the road, Columbia will open the home season on Thursday against Hofstra. Kickoff from Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium is set for 7 p.m.

For the latest on the Columbia women's soccer program, follow @CULionsWSOC on Twitter and Instagram, on Facebook at Facebook.com/ColumbiaWSoccer and on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.