Ivy Rugby Conference 15s third-place and 7s runner-up Columbia defeated visiting NY State runner-up #19 Syracuse 53-33 at the Columbia University soccer stadium Saturday afternoon, with the Lions' best all-around performance of the season.

Although Syracuse, which had been ranked as high as No. 2 in DI last fall, took an early 7-5 lead, Columbia's forward dominance and opportunistic back play soon overcame the speed of the dangerous Syracuse outside backs, as the Lions grabbed leads of 24-14, 34-21 and 41-21 before holding off a late Syracuse rally with 12 unanswered points.

Columbia try scorers

Derek Lipscomb (2), Conor Russomanno (2), Bobby Macmahon, Ian Hillman, Kyle Depew, Evan Platt, Minsoo Lyo.