NEW YORK —
Five Columbia athletics teams will be hitting the road for a combined eight events this week, including the season openers for men's soccer, volleyball, cross country and field hockey.
Every week, GoColumbiaLions.com will be using "Lions on the Road" to preview all of that week's upcoming road games. Be sure to access each team's website on gameday to keep up with all of the action as it happens.
WOMEN'S SOCCER
After starting the season with a 2-2 draw against St. John's, the women's soccer team hits the road for two games this week. The Lions face Loyola Maryland (2-2-0) Thursday night in Baltimore before heading to Georgetown (1-1-2) on Sunday. In last Sunday's season opener, Columbia (0-0-1) came back from a 2-0 halftime deficit to earn a draw against St. John's. First-year
Maia Tabion recorded the Lions' first goal of the season in the 60th minute to cut the margin in half. Late in the second half,
Shira Cohen scored the equalizer, which would go on to be the final goal of the contest. Columbia will be looking to get in the win column before returning home next week.
MEN'S SOCCER
The Columbia men's soccer team begins its 74th season of varsity soccer when it opens the 2022 campaign Friday afternoon with a 1 p.m. kick against George Washington (1-0-1). The program first competed as a varsity sport in 1906 but was discontinued after the 1915 season until competing as a club in 1957. The Lions have competed as a varsity sport every year since 1958, aside from the cancellation of the 2020 season due to COVID-19. Last season, the Lions defeated the Colonials, 2-0, behind goals from
Ryan Kipness and
Jake Novoshelski. Both goals came in the first 10 minutes of the second half, as Novoshelski assisted Kipness before Kipness returned the favor just four minutes later. Last year's contest was the first all-time meeting between the two squads.
| Day |
Opponent |
Time |
Watch |
Live Stats |
| Friday |
George Washington |
1:00 p.m. |
ESPN+ |
Live Stats |
VOLLEYBALL
The volleyball team begins its 2022 season in New Britain, Connecticut, where it will play three combined matches against Saint Peter's (0-4), Binghamton (2-1) and host Central Connecticut State (1-2). The Lions will play their first matches under the direction of newly appointed head coach
Patric Santiago, who was hired in March. Columbia returns five starters and six non-starters that saw significant playing time from the 2021 squad. All-Ivy League honoree
Noelle Foster returns as the leader in total points, kills, kills per set and points per set. Setter
Cadence Gronski will look to build on her strong start to the 2021 season as the returning leader in assists and assists per set.
CROSS COUNTRY
Columbia cross country begins its 2022 season with a trip to the Stony Brook Invite for the second-straight season. Columbia returns a handful of starters from the 2021 season on both the men's and women's sides.
Phoebe Anderson headlines the returners for the Columbia women. A returning First Team All-Ivy League, All-Region and National Championship qualifier performer, Anderson is joined by
Nikki Vanasse who earned Second Team All-Ivy honors in 2021. The men, who posted their best finish at the NCAA Regionals since 2017 (fifth), return
Tyler Berg, a National Championship qualifier, Second Team All-Ivy League and All-Region performer, and 2021 All-Region honoree
Jack Bennett to lead a young and experienced group of Lions.
| Day |
Meet |
Start Time |
| Saturday |
Stony Brook Invite |
10:30 a.m. |
FIELD HOCKEY
After opening the year this Friday night at home against LIU, the field hockey team will travel upstate to take on No. 10 Syracuse (2-0) Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. Cuse will also play Friday at Kent State before taking on the Lions later that weekend. Columbia is set to begin its second season under head coach
Katie DeSandis '13CC. Last season, the former standout coached the Lions to their first 6-0 start in program history before ultimately going on to eight victories. Returning junior
Maya Walker was an All-Ivy second team honoree and named 2021 NFHCA All-Mideast Region.
| Day |
Opponent |
Time |
Watch |
Live Stats |
| Sunday |
#10 Syracuse |
1:00 p.m. |
ACCNX |
Live Stats |
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