Tied for first with four other teams in the Ivy League, the Columbia field hockey team needs a win this weekend to maintain its standing.
The Light Blue (6-6) will head to Hanover, N.H., on Saturday to face Dartmouth (8-5) in a game that will decide who leads the table.
Both teams are 3-1 in the Ivy League, but until last weekend, Dartmouth had led the Ancient Eight with an undefeated conference record.
On Saturday, the Big Green had an unusually ineffective attack as it fell 5-1 to Yale. Barring the loss to the Bulldogs, Dartmouth has proven exceptional on the offensive end, scoring 43 goals this season.
Leading the attack are senior midfielder Kelly Hood, who has a team-high 11 goals, and junior midfielder Lisa Masini, whose 14 assists rank highest among all Ivy players.
“Dartmouth has skilled players, and it’s a physically strong team,” Lions head coach Marybeth Freeman said. “They have some players that are excellent at set pieces.”
These set pieces, including corners and long hits, will be an important factor in defeating the Big Green, according to Freeman.
Columbia’s defensive execution on set pieces was an important part of its 5-1 win over Penn and its 2-1 win over VCU. The Quakers had eight penalty corners against the Lions, but senior co-captain Desi Scherf and the rest of the defense proved superior.
Senior co-captain Leti Freaney and junior Paige Simmons earned spots on the weekly Ivy League honor roll for their performances in both games.
Freeman believes the Light Blue has the momentum and skills to beat the Big Green.
“Not only this past weekend, but the season as whole, has helped prepare us for teams like Dartmouth,” she said.
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