In the final weekend of the 2011 season, the Columbia volleyball squad (15-8, 9-3 Ivy) will travel to Penn (8-14, 4-8 Ivy) on Friday and Princeton on Saturday.

Five weeks ago, the Light Blue defeated the Tigers—a win that left the Lions tied for second place in the conference—and the Quakers at Levien Gym.

In their last outing, the Quakers, who were missing several starters, fought hard against the Lions and forced a five-set match, winning both the second and fourth sets. Since that match, Penn has gone 2-5, with three losses coming in straight sets.

In the Princeton game, it was a battle for second place in the conference standings, as the Tigers stood in second place and the Lions in third. In what was their first home match of the conference schedule, the Lions came out and crushed the Tigers in straight sets.

In a post-match interview, Columbia head coach Jon Wilson noted that he felt the Tigers were “unready” for their match in New York.

In the case that both Harvard and Dartmouth defeat Yale this weekend, Saturday’s match at Princeton will be much more than a game of two second-place teams, as the winner will go home with a share of the Ivy League championship.

Sporting an 11-1 record, the Bulldogs already own a share of the crown. A win this weekend would seal the deal for Yale, regardless of Saturday night’s match. Columbia would have to win out, while Yale would have to lose both games for the Lions to have a share of the title with the Bulldogs.

Despite the possible implications of Saturday night’s game, the Tigers have added motivation in that it will be the final home match for their seniors, who will be honored on Saturday.

Regardless of what happens this weekend, the Lions have clinched a top-three finish and will end the season among the best in the league.