This time last season, the Columbia women’s soccer team was traveling north in pursuit of an Ivy title. At the top of the standings and undefeated, all the Lions needed was a win at Harvard to earn the first league championship in the program’s history.

A year later, the Lions are concluding their season with much less to play for. Instead of defending the crown they won so dramatically in Cambridge, Mass., they are aiming to finish .500 in Ithaca, N.Y.

Last week, in their final home game, the Lions found their feet going forward, edging Harvard, 2-1. Senior Gudrun Finnsdottir signed off in style with an offensive tour de force, scoring both goals.

She is one of five seniors donning the light blue jersey for the last time. Joining her will be Lindsey Knowles, the explosive striker who contributed five goals this season, and Liz deBerardinis, who came off the bench 10 times in 2007. Defender Cathleen Cimino, who has started in the Columbia back line for four seasons, will skipper the side in her final appearance, and goalkeeper Allison Vespa, a critical link in the Lions’ 2006 run to the Ivy title will start one more time between the posts.

Cornell should be the perfect venue for the seniors to put the finishing touches on their careers. This season has been a categorical disaster for Cornell, 4-11. Big Red careened into yet another loss in its last game at Dartmouth, extending its losing streak to eight.

Columbia is set to play Cornell in Ithaca on Saturday. Action starts at 1 p.m.