Men’s soccer nipped by Harvard 2-1 in extra time

On Senior Day, the last home game of the season, the Columbia men’s soccer team seemed primed to defeat current league leader Harvard (12-3-1, Ivy 4-1-1), but instead fell 2-1 in a thrilling overtime decision.

From the get-go, the Crimson assumed possession of the ball, controlling play for much of the first half. Openings in the Columbia defense and a pervasive Harvard offense allowed for several attempts for the Crimson. Senior Desmond Mitchell launched a shot towards the goal in the initial minutes of the contest, but it went wide. Soon after, freshman forward Brian Rogers broke away on a run for the goal, but Columbia defender Will Young met him outside the box, eventually forcing the ball out of bounds at the end line for a goal kick.

Rogers returned in the eighth minute, as he took a pass down the field and rocketed off a shot into the center of the goal. However, Columbia goalkeeper Alexander Aurrichio was prepared and saved the shot.

The Crimson regained possession and continued their assault on the Columbia goal, as sophomore Ben Tsuda fed a pass to junior Alex Chi who took the ball into the box. The Lions emerged on top in the ensuing struggle when the defense managed to interrupt the run and clear the box. The Crimson would attempt several more shots, mainly on headers, but the Lions defense consistently got in the way.

With less than seven minutes left in the half, the Light Blue tried to get on the board before time expired, as junior co-captain Pepe Carotenuto passed to offensive standout Bayo Adafin who launched a shot on goal that fell slightly short. Goalkeeper Alex Contratto dove to save the ball, and senior forward James Prince tried to tap the ball into the goal, but Contratto held on fast.

When the teams resumed play in the second half, both exhibited a greater sense of immediacy, but it was the Light Blue who lit up the scoreboard first. In
the 66th minute, sophomore Mike Mazzullo headed in a cross from freshman Nick Scott over the goalkeeper, giving the Lions a 1-0 lead. This shot marked the only shot from the Lions in the period, while the Crimson recorded eight shots in the second half alone.

Harvard was determined to tie the match and its offensive attack intensified. The Columbia defensive line of Quentin Grigsby, Ryan Scully, Ronnie Shaban, and Will Young were essential to preserving the score. With 11 minutes left, Rogers embarked on a solo run towards the goal, beating Grigsby and Aurrichio to net the Crimson’s first goal. A stalemate endured until the whistle that ended regulation.

The Crimson claimed possession in most of the overtime period, deciding the match in the 95th minute. Senior Andre Akpan fed the ball to Rogers down the right side, then Rogers crossed to Chi who took the ball down the field and scored the game-winning goal.

The Lions hope to end their season with a win when they travel to Cornell on Nov. 14.