Oct. 27, 2004
The Columbia men's soccer team suffered another frustrating loss as they fell to Adelphi, 2-1 at Baker Field. The Lions leveled the score at one just before the end of the first half, but a second half Panther goal spoiled the comeback. First-year forward Tom Davison scored the Columbia goal. Though the Lions out shot the Panthers and controlled the majority of possession, their record dropped to 2-10-2.
Adelphi (4-7-1) had the first chance of the match as Rob Philippou and Matt Smith played a nice give and go before Smith fired high from the left side of the box. The Panthers had another chance sail high three minutes later as Tal Sheinfeld's free kick cleared the bar.
Ajene Green (Elmont, N.Y.) created the Lions' first chance of the match as he moved beautifully through three Panther defenders inside the box before having his shot forced wide by Panther keeper Michael Hurley.
With 21 minutes remaining the half the Panthers somehow survived a flurry of shots on their net after good play down the wing by Columbia opened up some space in the Panther defense. John Mulhern (Smithtown, N.Y.) played a ball to Scott Waddell who in turn played a nice ball behind the defense that Einar Benediktsson (Kopavogur, Iceland) ran onto. The junior forward squeezed off a shot, but was denied by Hurley at his feet. The ball rebounded back to Benediktsson who found Jorrell Best (Brooklyn, N.Y.) with a chipped cross. Best's header was cleared away by a Panther defender, but only as far as Tyler Birch (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) at the top of the box. Birch unleashed a rocket, but it sailed over the crossbar.
The Lions seemed to have found a weakness in the Panther defense as their forwards made numerous runs behind the back line, but were unable to capitalize on the moves as they were whistled for offside eleven times in the first half.
Five minutes later Adelphi pulled ahead on a clinical finish from its leading scorer, Tal Scheinfeld. Frank Cascio picked up a loose ball in the midfield and sent a through ball past the Lions defense that Scheinfeld caught up to in the box. Scheinfeld rounded the Columbia keeper and slotted the ball into the net for the 1-0 lead.
Four minutes before the end of the first half the Lions equalized via a well orchestrated offensive move. Tyler Birch sent a pass behind the defense to substitute Mark Dyrszka (Haworth, N.J.) as the flag stayed down this time. Dyrszka cut the ball back to Tom Davison (Brandon, Fla.) who turned the ball inside the back post for his fourth goal of the season.
The Lions came out for the second half attacking, drawing a great save out of Hurley just two minutes into the frame. Jonathan Chanin (East Brunswick, N.J.) crossed to Tom Davison in the box, but his headed was snatched out of the air by Hurley.
The Panthers picked up an unlikely goal and the eventual winner with 28 minutes remaining in the match. Tal Sheinfeld sent a corner kick to the front post where Dieudonne Nonga had his back to the goal. The ball deflected off his body and past a screened Dean Arnaoutakis (Dunedin, Fla.).
Columbia created a few more chances to equalize, but were unable to get the vital goal. With 13 minutes to go, Scott Waddell crossed to Ajene Green, but his shot was deflected out of play. Hurley denied Davison once again just after that as the forward looked for his second goal of the match. Davison took a long throw from Greg Cass (Lansdale, Pa.) and headed backwards, but the Panther keeper was up to the challenge.
With in the 88th minute Blake Lindberg's powerful header sailed just wide off a Tyler Birch free kick with the Lions pressing forward. As the time ticked off the clock, Columbia heaped even more pressure as they nearly scored from a scramble in front of the net in the final minute of the match, but eventually Tom Heinbockel's blast from the top of the box sailed high as time ran out.
The Lions outshot the Panthers 20-12, had five corner kicks to Adelphi's three and forced Hurley into making 8 saves while the Lions' keepers were called into action only three times. Still the loss was the Lions sixth straight.
Columbia hits the road with a chance to play spoiler as they will face Yale in New Haven at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
