Lions to visit Big Red this weekend for Ancient Eight competition

Saturday, the Columbia volleyball team will travel to Ithaca, N.Y., for a rematch against the Cornell Big Red. After winning in straight sets over local rival Manhattan, the Light Blue will look to add to its program-record nine-game winning streak.

Last Saturday, the Lions trounced Cornell at home, roaring back from a close first-set loss to dominate the remainder of the match. Sophomore Megan Gaughn racked up 21 kills and 15 digs, a week after earning Ivy League Player of the Week honors. Freshman Colleen Brennan was also impressive, totaling 30 assists in the victory.

Though Cornell owns the all-time series 45-6, Columbia has won two of the teams’ last three meetings. That trend looks to continue this year, as the Big Red is off to a slow start, winning only two of its first 10 matches.

Of course, winning on the road is never easy. The Lions will have to contend with Cornell defensive specialist Risa Ka’awa, who ranks 59th in the nation with 4.8 digs per set. While Columbia outranks Cornell in almost every statistical category, they will have to guard against an upset—losing to Cornell could take away the team’s momentum before a critical stretch of Ivy League road games that includes a match against Dartmouth in Hanover, N.H.

However, if Gaughn and the rest of the squad continue their stellar play, Saturday’s contest could be of historic importance. Columbia’s 9-2 start is tied for the best in program history, and a victory in Ithaca could confirm that this year’s squad is one of the best to don light blue.