The Columbia volleyball team (7-7, 2-3 Ivy) is looking to return to its winning ways after dropping three straight to Yale, Penn and Princeton over the past two weeks. The Light Blue will take on Dartmouth and Harvard for a two-game home stand.
Despite its recent losing streak, head coach Jon Wilson remains confident that this weekend will be a prime opportunity to get Columbia’s season back on track.
“Just about every team in the world feels more comfortable at home,” Wilson said. “Home court advantage does exist. They’ve proven it.”
The Lions have been focused and working hard at practice to fine-tune their skills.
“I’ve been really happy with our practices,” senior captain Megan Gaughn said. “We still have a lot to play for. Everyone’s heart is still in it, which is really great. Everyone is still on board, which is really reassuring. It’s been a tough two weeks.”
The Lions know that tough serves will be key to getting their potent block, ranked 18th in the nation, back into the picture. Knowing where the opponent will set the ball helps the blockers know where to go, getting the best matchups possible at the net. The Lions have been working hard at improving their serving game to allow their blocks to be in top form.
“We’ve been working a lot on service pressure to make sure our opponents can’t run all their options,” Gaughn said.
The Light Blue has also started to fine-tune its lineup. While many players have had a chance to start due to the plethora of talent and options available, Wilson is looking to set some consistency.
“It’s a matter of getting the continuity and cohesion,” Wilson said. “We have a solidified lineup. I think we’ve had so many players get an opportunity to play. There will still be quite a few substitutions, but there could be more continuity in who those substitutions are.”
The Lions kick off the weekend with a Friday night match against Dartmouth at 7 p.m. Saturday will be Dig Pink Night for the Light Blue, when it takes on Harvard at 5 p.m. Fans will receive bracelets and all proceeds will go toward the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center.
