Sept. 10, 2004
NEW YORK, N.Y. - Oh how times have changed. Last season far behind them, the Lions opened up the Ivy season in grand fashion at Wien Stadium on Friday evening, defeating Cornell 6-2 for its first Ivy League win since October 12, 2001. The six goals scored represents the most Columbia goals ever scored in an Ivy game.
Columbia attacked early and often, out-shooting the Big Red 10-1 early in the first half. The Lions opened up the scoring at 22:48 when first-year midfielder Elizabeth Reeve (C- San Diego, Calif.) netted the first goal of her collegiate career with a quick shot past the diving Cornell goalie.
Senior defender Kate Mansur (C-Greenfield, Mass.) scored just six minutes later on a penalty corner to put the Lions up 2-0. Junior midfielder Courtney Robinson (C-Ardmore, Pa.) and sophomore defender Kim Branich (C-Virginia Beach, Va.) were both credited with assists on the goal. Columbia led 2-0 at the half, out-shooting Cornell 22-5 and holding 7-3 penalty corner advantage.
The Big Red struck first in the second period as Lindsay Moyer scored on a penalty corner. Moyer shot the ball deep in the left corner and just a bit high to skim the diving Kristina George (C-Encinitas, Calif.). Natalie Serle and Blair Corcoran assisted on the goal.
The Lions did not let up on attack as Jen Cruz (C-Beesley's Point, N.J.) scored the eventual game winner at 46:13. Cruz gathered the ball and pushed the ball to the net in the midst of a couple defenders.
Columbia continued to control the ball in the midfield and Erin Wesseldine (C-Virginia Beach, Va.) fed senior Tracy Bucholski (C-Collingswood, N.J.) for a field goal just two minutes after Cruz's score. Reeve added her second goal of the game at 57:27 on a pass from Mansur and Diana Day (C-Strasburg, Pa.) rounded out the scoring with a goal at 61:49 on a pass from Robinson.
"I'm pleased with our play today," commented the Lions new head coach Katie Beach. "We came out ready to play. We stuck to the basics and to the game plan we set. There are things that we need to work on, but we started to have a nose for the goal, which was a point of emphasis for us. Players were in the right place at the right time and saw the ball into the net," Beach said.
"Our midfielders, Courtney (Robinson), Liz (Reeve) and Erin (Wesseldine), came up big tonight. They played with great awareness," Beach said. "The team found a way to finish and we improved our penalty execution."
The Lions have already eclipsed last season's win total and now stand at 2-1, 1-0 in the Ivy League. Cornell dropped to 1-3, 0-1 in the Ivy League. Just three games into the season, the Lions have already scored 70 percent of last season's goal total with seven goals. The win vs. Cornell ended a 16-game Ivy League losing streak.
Cruz added her second game-winning goal in three games and Reeve now has two goals and one assist on the season for a total of five points.
Columbia returns to action on Sunday, when they host Colgate at 1 p.m.
