Volleyball, men’s soccer, field hockey all in complicated hunt for Ivy League titles

Though both women’s volleyball (7-3 Ivy) and field hockey (4-2 Ivy) dropped games this weekend against Yale, they remain in contention for Ivy League championships. Men’s soccer (3-2 Ivy) is also still in contention. Volleyball started the week tied for second with Princeton. At home this weekend, they lost to Yale 3-1, and then bounced back with a 3-0 victory over Brown.

While title contention is still possible, a number of scenarios must play out. Most importantly, the volleyball team must win all of their remaining league matches against Harvard, Dartmouth, Penn, and Princeton with the last two on the road. Yale also needs to drop at least two games for Columbia to remain in contention for a co-championship. If both Yale and Princeton drop three of their four remaining games on top of Columbia winning its remaining four matches of the season, the Lions will claim the title.

Field hockey had a two-game winning streak snapped in its 3-1 defeat to the Bulldogs. Its final game of the season will be at home against Harvard on Friday. Besides winning this final game, the field hockey team must hope that Yale loses to Brown and Princeton loses to Penn to force a three-way tie.

“We’re very much focused on the things we can control,” head coach Marybeth Freeman said. “There’s a lot of ‘if’ and a lot of things out of control. There [are] things we as a staff have stressed to our athletes. Two things we can always control: our attitude and our performance.”

The field hockey squad has been focused on putting its best foot forward every game, regardless of the implications. However, some extra emphasis will be put on this final game.

“Our next game is our most important game, because not only is it an opportunity for us to recognize our seniors—the time, the dedication and the effort they put into the program—but because its our last game at home against an Ivy League opponent,” Freeman said. “This final game will be an emotional one for our seniors. The team will rally around the seniors and upperclassmen. Our goal is to put our best foot forward for all of us and have a team mentality.”

Men’s soccer is currently tied for fourth with two games to play, but they are very much in contention. They will have to win their final two conference games against Harvard and first-place Cornell. They will also need the winner of the Brown vs. Dartmouth game on the final week of the season to lose their game this Saturday.

Volleyball continues its title challenge at Levien Gymnasium against Harvard at 7 p.m. while field hockey plays its final game against Harvard at Baker at 6:30 p.m. Both matchups are on Nov. 4. Men’s soccer plays Harvard at Columbia Soccer Stadium this Saturday at 4 p.m.