Brown Tops Ivy Foe Columbia

Bernstein On Fire After Fourth Game-Winner

October 5, 2008

PROVIDENCE – Senior Rhett Bernstein scored his fourth consecutive game-winning goal and the Brown men’s soccer team earned a 2-1 victory over Columbia Saturday in its first Ivy League contest of the season.

Freshman and Amherst, Mass., native Evan Coleman also scored for the Bears (6-2-1, 1-0-0 Ivy), his coming in the 53rd minute of play.

After a scoreless first half, both Brown and Columbia increased its intensity and came out firing in the second stanza. Coleman tallied the game's first goal at the 53:13 mark when he put in a diving header from a crossed ball by sophomore Jon Okafor.

The Lions came right back and tied the game 1-1 at the 65:43 mark, when defender Ronnie Shaban knocked one in past Brown senior goalkeeper Jarrett Leech from the left side after a corner kick taken by Peter Morice.

Columbia had five shots in the second half, as Brown's defense did a fantastic job of stopping the Lions' offensive attack. Sophomore Ian Smith, Bernstein and senior co-captain Stephen Sawyer made some great stops around the goal and were able to hold Columbia to just one goal.

Bernstein was able to put the Brown squad on top in the 73rd minute of play, when he drove in a corner kick from senior Darren Howerton (Northboro, MA) from the left side to the low right corner to take the lead and eventually win the game, 2-1.

It was Bernstein's fourth consecutive goal (all game-winners) of the season. Howerton, the Ivy League's assist leader, earned his fifth assist ranking him second all-time in Brown's career assist leaders with 25 total.

Leech is still unbeaten in goal, as he improved his record to 5-0-1 on the season and picked up three saves in today's contest. Leech, who leads the Ivy League in save percentage and goals-against average, boasts a 0.16 GAA, and a .952 save percentage.

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