ITHACA, N.Y. – Columbia women's soccer opened Ivy League play in dramatic fashion on Saturday afternoon, as sophomore defender Dema Elder headed home the game-winner in the 90th minute to lift the Lions to a 2-1 road victory over Cornell at Berman Field.
The Lions (3-4-2, 1-0-0 Ivy) struck twice in the second half to erase an early deficit. Cornell grabbed the lead in the 12th minute when Gaby Gonzalez converted a header off a corner.
Just two minutes later, it looked like the Big Red were about to take a 2-0 lead as Sydney Allen found the back of the net, but the officials got together and ruled the play offsides. From that point on, the Lions' defense locked in and would not allow a goal the rest of the way. Despite generating chances before halftime, Columbia went into the break trailing 1-0.
Momentum shifted in the 69th minute when Maia Beltran nodded in her third goal of the season off a near-post corner from Maia Tabion, leveling the match at 1-1. The Lions continued to press and were rewarded in the final minute of regulation, as Tabion again delivered another pinpoint corner that Elder powered into the net for her second career goal and first of the season which would prove to be the game-winner.
Goalkeeper Samantha Mahoney finished with two saves in the opening half, while the Lions' defense limited the Big Red (2-3-4, 0-1-0 Ivy) to just three shots on goal. Columbia and Cornell each had 13 shots overall but, Columbia held a 5-3 edge in shots on target and earned five corners, including the decisive set piece in the final minute.
With the win, the Lions have extended their unbeaten streak against Cornell to four straight matches. It was also the first time Columbia has beaten the Big Red in Ithaca since 2019.
ON DECK
The Lions return home to Commisso Stadium on Saturday, September 27, to host Yale in their Ivy League home opener. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Columbia's full 2025 schedule can be found HERE.
For the latest on the Columbia women's soccer program, follow @CULionsWSOC on X, Instagram, Facebook at Facebook.com/ColumbiaWSoccer and on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
