Columbia University
Brown
Volleyball Closes Homestand Against Brown and Yale
10/5/2023 6:30:00 PM | Volleyball
Lions hosting Dig Pink game on Friday, Mental Health Awareness game on Saturday
INITIATIVES
The game on Friday against Brown will be Columbia's annual "Dig Pink" game, and the Lions will be raising funds for the Side Out Foundation. Funds raised will go towards research specifically for patients with metastatic breast cancer, the most advanced form of the disease. Click HERE to donate or to learn more about the Side Out Foundation.
On Saturday against Yale, Columbia will be hosting a mental health awareness game, during which the Lions will be supporting the Hilinski's Hope Foundation (H3H). This foundation was founded in 2018 by Mark and Kym Hilinski to honor the life of their son Tyler, who died by suicide yet never showed any signs of depression or struggle. To all those struggling, you don't have to walk alone or suffer in silence. We look towards a future free from mental health stigma, because each and every one of us has mental health, and mental health matters. To donate, or learn more about the Hilinski's Hope Foundation, click HERE.
LAST TIME OUT
Columbia continued Ivy League play last weekend against Harvard and Dartmouth. Despite picking up two losses, the Lions were able to win three sets on the weekend.
The match against Dartmouth was the best of the bunch as Columbia and the Big Green fought it out in a five set thriller.
The Lions came out hot in the first set, taking an 18-12 lead on the back of a 7-0 run capped by an awesome block from Ruby van der Heide and Juliana Williamson. Dartmouth would not go away, slowly chipping away at the Columbia lead and eventually cutting it to just 23-22. A block from Soah Franklin would make it set point in favor of the Lions, and Williamson would put the finishing touches on a first set win for Columbia with her first kill of the match.
The Big Green and Lions would each trade a set in the middle of the match, leading to a 2-1 lead in favor of the Lions. Once again, when it looked like Columbia was in control, Dartmouth would have an answer. The Lions took a quick 6-5 lead in the fourth set, but the Big Green took the lead on a Kauany Gutz kill, and wouldn't relinquish it the rest of the way. In fact, the Lions would not lead the rest of the match as Dartmouth opened the fifth and final set on a 5-0 run, and the Lions could never really find their footing in the deciding game. The Big Green clinched a 3-2 win on a kill from Amelia Gibbs.
Watts had a team-high 13 kills, leading the Lions offense. Atkins and Logan Harlock both chipped in eight kills. Van der Heide collected a season-high 30 assists, and tallied her first double-double of the season with 11 digs. Delaney Seaman totaled 15 digs and matched her career high of three service aces.
SCOUTING BROWN
Brown enters the weekend with a 10-3 overall record. The Bears are 1-2 so far in Ivy League play, with a win over Penn and losses to Yale and Princeton.
Last season, Brown finished 15-10 overall, with a 10-4 mark in Ivy League play which was good for third place and a birth in the Ivy League Tournament where the Bears lost the championship game to Yale.
In the 2023 Ivy League Preseason Poll, Brown was picked to finish in third place once again, four spots ahead of Columbia.
The Bears' last game came against the Quakers on Saturday, September 30. Brown won in straight sets, earning its first Ivy League win of the season.
Beau Vanderlaan leads the Bears with 133 kills and 52 total blocks on the season, and Marlia Sidorova is right behind her with 128. Ciera Jenkins is Brown's primary setter, collecting a team-high 468 assists and 14 services aces this season.
SCOUTING YALE
Yale enters the weekend with an 8-3 overall record. The Bulldogs are undefeated (3-0) in Ivy League play, with wins over Princeton, Penn, and Brown.
Last season, Yale finished 23-3 overall, with a 13-1 mark in Ivy League play which was good for first and a birth in the Ivy League Tournament where the Bulldogs would go on to win the Ivy League Championship over the Bears.
In the 2023 Ivy League Preseason Poll, Yale was picked to finish in first place once again, receiving 13 of 16 first place votes.
Betsy Goodenow leads the Bulldogs with 111 kills and 29 total blocks on the season, and Audrey Leak is right behind her with 99. Carly Diehl is Yale's primary setter, collecting a team-high 424 assists and 15 services aces this season.
MATCHUP HISTORY
The all-time record between the Bears and Lions sits at 14-14. Recently, Brown has the advantage, having won seven straight matches against Columbia, including both of the last two matches in New York in three sets. The Lions' last victory against the Bears came on October 6, 2018 at Levien.
Yale leads the all-time series against Columbia, 28-2. Last season, the Bulldogs won both matches against the Lions in straight sets. The last Columbia victory against Yale came in September of 2016.
ON DECK
The Lions will take their first Ivy League road trip of the season next weekend, traveling to take on Princeton and Penn. Columbia will take on the Tigers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday in New Jersey, before taking on the Quakers on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. in Pennsylvania.
Columbia Giving Day is set for October 25. To donate, click HERE.
HOW TO FOLLOW
All Columbia home games, and every Ivy League game, will be streamed via ESPN+. You can find Friday's game against Brown HERE and Saturday's game against Yale HERE.
Live stats will be available via gocolumbialions.com, HERE.
In-game updates will be provided on both Twitter and Instagram.
For the latest on Columbia lacrosse, follow @CULionsVB on Twitter and Instagram, and on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
