Princeton

Sydney Johnson’s first win as Princeton men’s basketball head coach came in his very first try, a 59-57 victory over Central Connecticut State on November 11

Following disappointing outcomes in the 2006-2007 Ivy League basketball season, Harvard and Princeton sought to find new sparks for their teams this season.

After hosting two matches this weekend against Penn and league-leader Princeton this weekend, Columbia volleyball (3-17, 0-9 Ivy) finds itself two losses deeper in the bottom of the Ivy League standings. With those back-to-back losses, Columbia’s winless streak in the Ivy League is now at nine games.

The Lions may not be in panic mode just yet, but after losing to Princeton 2-0 in New Jersey last Saturday, they are certainly on high alert.

It was a must-win game for both Columbia and Princeton if they were to keep their Ivy League title hopes alive—what they call in some parts of the world a “six-pointer.” But if Columbia’s chances were hurt a week ago against Penn, they were virtually dashed on Saturday in Princeton.

To say that victory slipped through Columbia’s grasp Saturday would be an understatement. The Lions did everything they could to deflate Princeton’s offense. Tragically, the Tigers had another one armed and ready.

Despite the football team’s best offensive production to date, the Lions dropped their conference opener to defending Ivy League co-champion Princeton on Saturday, 42-32.

When the Lions head to Princeton, N.J. on Saturday, they will be trying to do something that has rarely been done in the past 50 years: beat Princeton on the road, and begin the Ivy League season 1-0. For starters, Columbia has defeated Princeton only twice on the road since 1945, and the most recent win in 2003 was finalized on a “Hail Mary” from Jeff Otis to Wade Fletcher. This one lucky pass is Columbia’s only victory over Princeton in the past six years, as the Lions have been outscored by an average of over 10 points per game. The scores have been more lopsided on the road, with the deficit being nearly three touchdowns.

For Princeton’s senior wide receiver Brendan Circle, this season will not be a walk in the park. Following a career-best year with graduating quarterback Jeff Terrell, many aspects of Circle’s performance are now uncertain.

Both the Columbia and Princeton football teams followed disappointing losses in week one with big wins in the second week. Now, the two face each other in their first Ivy League matchups of the season as the Lions try to make a statement and the Tigers hope to take their first step at defending their Ivy League crown.