Men's soccer concludes with a 1-0 loss to Cornell

What began as a hopeful season ended with a heartbreaking overtime loss, as the Columbia men’s soccer team dropped its last match of the season, 1-0, to league rival Cornell on Saturday.

The Lions journeyed to Ithaca to close out their season, hoping to add another win to their record against the Big Red—a team that was winless in the league before Saturday. Fresh off a close 2-1 overtime loss to Harvard—which clinched the Ivy title on Sunday with a win against Penn—Columbia seemed poised for a win over Cornell.

The match began with both teams battling for possession in the first half. Both the Light Blue and the Big Red would have close attempts on the goal. The first came for the Lions in the 13th minute, as sophomore defender Ronnie Shaban tried to convert a header into a tally for the Lions. However, his shot was denied by a Cornell defender who cleared the box, preserving the 0-0 score.

Later in the half, Big Red senior Matt Bouraee had a perfect opportunity, launching a shot on the Lions’ goal. Light Blue goalkeeper Alexander Aurrichio made a diving stop to save the ball. Though the half ended with neither team lighting up the scoreboard, Cornell did hold a small advantage, as it outshot Columbia 8-7.

The second half saw the Big Red continue to gain the upper hand, as it recorded several shots on goal that either missed their intended targets or were saved by Aurrichio. Neither team was able to net any goals in the second half, though Lions forwards Bayo Adafin and Nick Scott both had shots in the final minutes of regulation that Cornell goalkeeper Rick Pflasterer was able to stop.

Cornell entered overtime with an increased determination that overcame the Lions, recording two shots in the short overtime period. Three minutes into overtime, Matt Devitt crossed the ball to Bouraee in front of the goal, giving Bouraee the opportunity to convert the pass into a stellar shot to the far post inside the goal, sealing the game at 1-0 for the Big Red. En route to victory, Pflasterer made five saves for his second career shutout, while Aurrichio made eight, allowing one goal.

With this match, the Light Blue ties with Cornell and Yale for sixth place and the bottom spot in the conference, repeating last year’s finish for an overall record of 4-12-1 and 2-5-0 in the Ivy League.