NEW YORK — The Columbia men's soccer team played Brown to a, 0-0, draw Saturday night in the Ivy League opener for both teams at Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium.
 
A possession-heavy first half saw just two shots on goal, one for each side. Columbia (1-4-3, 0-0-1 Ivy) had one of its best chances come right at the 20-minute mark, when Ryan Kipness played a long pass up ahead for Ryan Yang. The first-year out of Canada got behind two Brown (4-2-1, 0-0-1 Ivy) markers and chested the pass down perfectly, flicking a shot over keeper Henrik Weiper that just sailed over the crossbar. Another dangerous chance came near the end of the first half when Ben Sidley's header off a corner was sent wide of the far post.
 
"If I'm being honest, I'm leaving frustrated because we got ourselves into the spots that we thought we could," Columbia head coach Kevin Anderson said. "If guys are in those spots then we have three tap-ins at the back post … The conference is about being great -- it's not about being mediocre. I'll walk away tonight, decent effort by our group, but … we could have been in better spots."
 
Ryan Kipness delivered a few of those chances for the Lions. He also took two of Columbia's six shots on the evening, both of which came on goal. Alessandro Franciosa touched a pass off for an open Kipness rushing into the far side of the penalty area in the 57th minute. The ensuing shot was blasted hard and on target, but turned away by Weiper. The Brown goalkeeper made three saves on the evening.
 
Senior Michael Collodi also made three saves for the Lions, all of which were fairly pedestrian for the experienced keeper. The Columbia defense did well to keep its shape and force Brown into low-percentage chances all night.
 
"I'm proud of the group and their effort … but now it's about inches. Those inches are the ones that you've got to find a different place to go to," Anderson added. "You've got to be willing to suffer to get to those spots … but on the other end of the field, however it's got to go in … whatever you've got to do and we're going to keep pushing. We were more dynamic tonight, more dangerous tonight … but the message to the group is that we have more ability and more desire to get to these dangerous spots, and we will."
 
Columbia will host a non-conference game against Hofstra (6-2-1) Tuesday night at 7 p.m. The Lions return to Ivy action next Saturday, Oct. 8, at Harvard.

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