Men’s Soccer Travels to No. 22 Seton Hall Friday

Friday, September 6

South Orange, N.J.

6:56 p.m.

Columbia University

Seton Hall

Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Stockton Photo, Inc.

Men’s Soccer Travels to No. 22 Seton Hall Friday

9/5/2024 12:03:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Watch on FloFC Live Stats

Local rivalry renewed for the first time in a decade

NEW YORK — The Columbia men's soccer team (0-1-0) plays its second of three straight road matches to begin the 2024 season on Friday when it visits No. 22 Seton Hall (3-0-0). The match will take place at Owen T. Carroll Field in South Orange, New Jersey, beginning at 6:56 p.m.

GAME COVERAGE:
Fans unable to attend Friday night's game can watch live on FloFC. A subscription is required to access the live video. Fans can also track the live stats courtesy of StatBroadcast. In-game updates will also be provided on the @CULionsMSOC social media accounts.

LAST TIME OUT
The Lions began the 2024 campaign last Friday in a 2-0 loss at Quinnipiac. Columbia seemingly had all of the momentum in the early part of the game. After creating a few good opportunities but unable to score, they conceded the first goal on the counter. Less than five minutes later, a floating shot across the box by Filip Kangeman found the top-left corner, giving the Bobcats a 2-0 lead in the 32nd minute. Columbia had good energy coming out of halftime and had the majority of possession in the second half. The Lions outshot the Bobcats, 6-1, in the period, however, Quinnipiac seemed willing to sit back and see if the Lions could figure out the puzzle.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Seton Hall has climbed from No. 25 to No. 22 in this week's United Soccer Coaches Poll after three straight victories to start the season. The Pirates downed FIU, 1-0, down in Miami, Florida to begin their campaign on August 22. They followed with a pair of home wins over UAlbany, 2-1, and Manhattan, 1-0, outscoring opponents 4-1 in the early part of the season. All four goals have come from four different goal scorers. Jared Smith is the only of the four to also add an assist and leads the team with three points. Til Kauschke is the primary shot taker with nine to this point, including three on target and one in the back of the net. Matias Molina has started two of the three matches in goal, has made a total of four saves and has yet to allow anything past him.

THE SERIES
The first recorded meeting between Columbia and Seton Hall came in 1957 when the Lions competed as a club team just one year before regaining their varsity status. The two sides have met 20 times overall with SHU holding a 13-4-3 series lead. They last faced off on October 8, 2014, resulting in a 1-0 victory for the Pirates in South Orange. Columbia's last series win came in 2010 by a score of 3-2 in New York City.

2024 PRESEASON NOTES

RETURNING
The Lions return 18 players from last year's team. Eight of this year's returners played in 10 or more matches last season, while nine players started at least six matches. Columbia's two returning goal scorers are Joao Lima and Chad Baker. Lima netted four goals and took a team-high 28 shots with 14 shots on goal on his way to an All-Ivy League Honorable Mention. Baker scored three times and assisted another as a first-year in 2023. Midfielder Alessandro Fraciosa played and started nine matches and was third on the team with 14 shots taken.

NEW-LOOK LIONS
Columbia announced the addition of 11 players to the roster last month. The newcomers included eight first-years and three sophomores. Two of those sophomores, Joe McDaid and Jack McDaid, transferred in after playing the 2023 season at Maryland.

Among the incoming defenders are Rafa Romo, Joe McDaid, Andrew Hilton II and Will Carnoy. Alexander O'Brien will also look to make an impact on the defense as the lone incoming goalkeeper. The midfielders are Luke Zielinski, Jack McDaid, Peter Chang and Will Case. Meanwhile, forwards Andres Garcia and Luka Peric hope to make the most impact on Columbia's goal-scoring efforts.

A CHANGE IN GOAL
Columbia will have a new primary starting goalkeeper for the first time since 2018 after the graduation of Michael Collodi last year. Collodi started 57 matches and played in 58 during his four-year career – Columbia's 2020 season was canceled due to COVID. He graduated with 237 career saves, which ranks second all-time behind program leader John McElaney (1976-79), who had 334. Collodi now plays for North Texas SC of MLS Next Pro.

Among this year's returning keepers, junior Dean Kelliher has made one collegiate appearance and senior Andreas Zamanian has played in four games with two starts.

BUILDING FROM 2023
Columbia looks to build from a 2-8-4 campaign a year ago in what was the first under head coach Michael Casper. The Lions improved from back-to-back single-win campaigns in 2021 and 2022, defeating Manhattan, 3-0, for Casper's first win before going on to down Quinnipiac, 2-0.

ABOUT COLUMBIA MEN'S SOCCER
The 2024 season marks the 77th varsity season of men's soccer at Columbia University. The program was established in 1906 but discontinued as a varsity sport from 1916-57. The program regained its varsity status in 1957 and played 63 straight seasons until the 2020 campaign was canceled due to COVID.

Columbia men's soccer came to prominence in the late '70s, advancing to their first NCAA Tournament in 1978 before going all the way to the Final Four in 1979. After multiple NCAA Tournament appearances and Ivy League championships through the early '80s, the Lions made a run to the NCAA Tournament Championship Game in 1983. Columbia defeated UConn, 4-0, in the Final Four to take on Indiana for the National Championship. The Hoosiers outlasted Columbia, 1-0, in overtime.

Columbia owns 10 Ivy League championships and 13 NCAA Tournament appearances all-time.

FOLLOW THE LIONS:
For the latest on Columbia men's soccer, be sure to follow the team on Twitter and Instagram (@CULionsMSOC), on Facebook (ColumbiaMensSoccer), or by visiting GoColumbiaLions.com.