The volleyball team started weekend play off on the right foot, but ended it on a less optimistic note. On Friday, the team had to struggle until the fifth set to pull out a 3-2 win over Brown in Providence, but on Saturday it surrendered to Yale 3-1.

In the first match against Brown, it was clear that the two teams would have to stay focused and fight to the end. Megan Gaughn and Cindy Chen opened the game with a couple of powerful kills, but the Bears immediately responded and kept the set close until Columbia finally managed to take the lead of the series, ending with a score of 26-24. Between the second and third sets the two teams kept alternating, and though Brown managed to get back to a 1-1 score by winning the second set 25-22, it was the Lions who, with the help of first-year Colleen Brennan, dominated the third period, closing up with a score of 25-18. The fourth set gave Columbia its first chance to win the math, but Brown scored six straight points to take the set 25-20. The Light Blue narrowly won the fifth set, 17-15, and the match.

It wasn’t as hard for Yale to take the lead on Saturday in New Haven. After losing the first two sets 25-17 and 25-12, Columbia reacted to the Bulldogs with Megan Gaughn’s winning kill, which handed them the set 27-25. However, Yale came back in the fourth and final set.

Gaughn was essential in both games, earning her usual double-double against Brown. Heather Braunagel also stood out with her 13 kills and four blocks, as did Monique Roberts, who got 10 kills and three blocks.

After almost a month of traveling, the Lions will finally be playing at home on Friday at 4 p.m. and Saturday at 7 p.m. They will face a challenge in their games against Princeton and Penn, who have been dominating league play.