NEW YORK — Quick turnaround. No problem for Columbia field hockey, who dispatched Quinnipiac by a score of 5-1 Sunday in its second game in three days. The Lions, who improved to 2-0 for the first time since 2013, saw five different players score in a match they seized control of early on in the match.
Columbia's press generated some early turnovers to create some offensive and corner chances early.
Isabella Collins opened up the scoring in the 14
th minute to give the Lions a lead they would never relinquish. After receiving a pass from
Meg Bowen in prime scoring position in the middle of the scoring area, Collins found herself next to a Bobcats' (0-2) goalkeeper well off the line. The senior seized possession and whipped a shot into the open net to put the Lions on top.
In the second quarter,
Maya Walker dished out a pair of assists to give Columbia a 3-0 lead at the break. The sophomore captain's long pass from midfield connected with
Lindsey Yu just outside of the circle. Yu wove around the defense and shot the ball while falling down for her second goal in as many games. Just under five minutes later off a corner, Walker opted to pass from the hitting position to
Brooke Gasser to set up a goal from the left wing, giving the Lions some extra breathing room.
Columbia netted a pair of goals in a span of 45 seconds in the third quarter to effectively put the game away. The Lions' fourth goal was a complete team effort with attackers flooding the scoring area. After a series of passes,
Sophie Rockefeller took a shot that
Ellie Decker tipped out of mid-air to make it a 4-0 advantage in the 42
nd minute. Columbia quickly regained possession and
Jaimie McCormick worked her way to the center to set up
Kelsey Farkas. From there, the senior did the rest, going down the left side of the circle and ripping one home for her third of the season.
Quinnipiac broke up the shutout bid in the 48
th minute off a strong individual effort by Emilia Massarelli.
Alexa Conomikes made five saves during the game to pick up the win in net. Shots wound up 14-12 in favor of the Lions and Columbia led in corners, 6-3.
The Lions wrap up their three-game home stand Friday, September 10 against LIU at 12 p.m. Fans attending the game must adhere to all Columbia Athletics' and University COVID-19 protocols. The match can also be seen live on ESPN+.
For the latest on Columbia field hockey, follow @CULionsFH on social media and
GoColumbiaLions.com for more updates.
