NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Henry Flugstad-Clarke's tying goal with less than five minutes left in the second half should have given Yale all the momentum in a game that looked to be destined for overtime.

One blow of the whistle changed that in a hurry. Less than two minutes after Flugstad-Clarke's goal, the Bulldogs were called for a highly questionable foul in the box. Antonio Matarazzo converted the penalty kick, and Columbia escaped with a 2-1 win over Yale on a cold and rainy night at Reese Stadium. It appeared that it was a Columbia player that initiated the contact in the box.

"It's unfortunate," said Yale head coach Brian Tompkins, who was given a yellow card for questioning the call. "Our guys are devastated. They gave everything they had."

The loss spoiled what was a solid second-half performance from the Bulldogs, who fired 12 shots at the Lions' goal over the final 45 minutes. If not for the outstanding play of Columbia goalkeeper Kyle Jackson, Yale would have more than one goal.

Jackson needed to make only four saves, but three were of the spectacular variety. The best came midway through the second half when he dove to his left to deflect an Archie Kinnane shot that looked to be headed to the top right corner.

"I told the team at halftime that we needed to create more danger," Tompkins said. "I thought we did that and forced their goalkeeper to make three really good saves."

Columbia (6-6-1, 2-2-1 Ivy) had a 6-2 edge in shots in the first half, but the game was scoreless when the teams headed to the locker room.

The Lions finally broke through at 73:24 when Arthur Bosua knocked home the rebound after Yale goalkeeper Blake Brown made a diving save to rob Francisco Agrest.

Yale's goal was set up by Henry Albrecht, who sent a perfect cross to the far post where Flugstad-Clarke was able to bang it in.

Columbia outshot the Bulldogs 15-14, but Yale had a 9-4 edge in corner kicks, including 8-4 in the second half.

Brown played very well in the Yale goal, finishing with nine saves.

The game was played in steady rain throughout.

"Both teams handled the conditions very well," Tompkins said.

The Bulldogs (1-11-3, 0-4-1 Ivy) are back in action next Saturday when they play at Brown at 4 p.m.

Report filed by Tim Bennett (timothy.bennett@yale.edu), Yale Sports Publicity