October has brought many things to Providence — like chilly evenings, rainy days and an Ivy League win for the men's soccer team. The No. 17 Bears (6-0-2, 1-0-0 Ivy League) snapped Columbia's three-game winning streak (4-5-1, 0-1-0) with a decisive 3-0 victory.
"Ivy League games are going to be tough," said Head Coach Pat Laughlin. "I felt we played with good energy and created some excellent scoring chances."
A wet field made for an exciting game. Players from both teams had problems staying up when changing direction. Forward Jon Okafor '11 found the net just 15 minutes into the fast-paced game. This is the quickest Brown has scored all season.
"The wet field made the game quicker and forced the players to be very clean with their touch," Laughlin said.
Goalkeeper Paul Grandstrand '11 kept a perfect record on the game with three saves. Bruno is currently third in the nation in shutout percentage with only Indiana getting the ball past Grandstrand and a smothering defense.
Impressive footwork played a role in the other two Brown goals. Forward Austin Mandel '12 moved down the field and maneuvered around defenders to set up forward T.J. Popolizio '12 at 39:30. Mandel then found the goal himself with a hard, 10-yard strike in the 79th minute.
In total, Bruno took 19 shots on goal to the Lion's eight.
Twenty-one out of the 26 players on Brown's roster saw playing time during the game, with the final two goals coming from non-starters.
The Bears will be back on their home pitch this Tuesday for a game against No. 18 St. John's University. The Red Storm are coming off an overtime loss to No. 5 Louisville. Last year, Brown battled St. John's to a 1-1 tie in Queens, N.Y.
