The No. 23 Cornell men’s soccer team closed its regular season with a 1-0 road victory over Columbia on Saturday evening at Rocco B. Commisso Stadium. The win secured the Big Red the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Ivy League Tournament.
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Cornell (12-2-2) controlled much of the match and broke through in the 30th minute when Sergio Zapata created space in the box and connected with Blake Donahue, who volleyed the ball over Columbia goalkeeper Alexander O’Brien for the game’s lone goal. O’Brien made four saves for the Lions (3-8-4), who were unable to find an equalizer despite a late push.
Goalkeeper Ryan Friedberg anchored a strong Cornell defense, recording three saves to earn his eighth shutout of the season and 12th win overall. The clean sheet moved Friedberg into a tie for second place on the program’s single-season list, matching his total from last year.
With the win, Cornell improved its all-time series record against Columbia to 27-28-10 and clinched its second straight Ivy League Tournament appearance. The Big Red’s defense once again proved decisive, holding the Lions scoreless for the full 90 minutes.
Cornell will now turn its attention to postseason play, traveling to Princeton for the Ivy League semifinals. The No. 2-seeded Big Red will face No. 3-seeded Penn on Myslik Field at 3:30 p.m. in their quest for a conference title.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to kyle@fingerlakes1.com.