Field hockey takes on Penn, VCU

It may be good fortune that the Columbia field hockey team will be playing its two games at home this weekend.

The Lions will take on the Penn Quakers (2-9) on Friday at 6 p.m. before facing Virginia Commonwealth (4-10) on Sunday at 1 p.m., and both opponents are 0-5 on the road this season.

Last year, the Quakers ended the Light Blue’s four-game winning streak with a 3-2 victory. Head coach Marybeth Freeman said one of the factors that gave the Lions trouble was Penn’s field, which is not designed for field hockey.

But this season, Columbia will be playing on its home turf against a Penn team that is on a three-game losing streak, the most recent loss coming against Lehigh on Wednesday.

Among the Ancient Eight, the Quakers have the fewest goals scored and the second-most goals conceded; but statistics aside, Freeman knows the Light Blue cannot rely on a poor performance by the opponent.

“I anticipate nothing, I assume nothing,” she said. “We can only control our attitude and performance. The Ivy games are critical, and on any given day anything could happen.”

Since the Lions’ 3-0 loss to Syracuse last Saturday, the team has concentrated on improving ball speed and quick passing. The fundamentals are what Freeman believes will lead to wins against both Penn and VCU, whose team is coming off a 3-0 shutout over Pacific.

With only three weeks left in the season, Freeman expects the Light Blue to win all seven of its remaining matches.

“It’s a very high, but realistic, expectation,” she said. “I do know that we have the caliber, player-for-player, to really finish out these seven games in the highest fashion.”