The lacrosse team (2-2, 0-1 Ivy) will play three games over next week’s spring break. The Lions are coming off a devastating 16-2 loss at Cornell, in which only sophomore attacker Frances Callaghan and freshman midfielder Lizzie Lee found the back of the net. Their games will not get any easier this week, as they face two ranked teams and several talented players.
Columbia resumes play at home on Friday against LaSalle (0-5, 0-0 Atlantic 10). Despite having an unsightly record, the Explorers boast an offensive threat in senior attacker and midfielder Emily Bonczek. Bonczek recently scored seven goals against Drexel and seven against Louisville to receive Atlantic-10 Player of the Week honors. While LaSalle has not won a game this season, the Lions will need to limit Bonczek’s scoring opportunities if they want the Explorers to remain winless.
Columbia will not only face the University of Oregon (6-1, 1-1 Pac-10), ranked 18th in the country, on Sunday, but it will face the Ducks on their home field. Oregon junior attacker Ilsa van den Berg just earned co-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Player of the Week honors and leads her team with 11 goals on the season. In addition, she has made three assists for the Ducks. Van den Berg played a crucial role in Oregon’s upset of then-11th-ranked Notre Dame this year, scoring five goals—the last of which gave the Ducks the lead for good—and contributing one assist.
The Light Blue close their spring break schedule with a trip to Dartmouth (3-1, 0-0 Ivy), where they will take on the 17th-ranked Big Green. Dartmouth has shown its mettle with an upset of its own, against then-12th-ranked James Madison. It took all of regulation and two overtime periods for the Big Green to secure the victory, but senior co-captain and attacker Kristen Barry came through with the game-winning goal. Columbia should make sure to focus its defensive efforts on her in Hanover.
The Light Blue has some weapons of its own in senior midfielder Marisa Marcellino and junior attacker Holly Glynn. Marcellino recently set the Columbia lacrosse program’s record for overall goals scored and has seven tallies this year, while Glynn leads the team with 14 goals on the season. These two players will need to continue to shine on offense for Columbia to compete with LaSalle, Oregon, and Dartmouth.