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Princeton University Athletics
Volleyball Begins Chase For League Title Friday At Penn
October 01, 2004 | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 1, 2004
PHILADELPHIA - While the 8-3 start for the Princeton women's volleyball team has been nice, the only quick start Princeton really wants is the one in league competition. The Tigers get that shot at the Palestra tonight zt 7 p.m. against three-time champion Penn.
Since the Ivy League went from a postseason tournament to round-robin play in 2001, the Tigers have always played Penn in their league opener and lost 3-1. In each of those three seasons, Penn went on to win the Ivy League title.
Princeton, which has secured 13 Ivy titles since 1979, is looking to change that trend tonight.
The Tigers were the last team to be eliminated from the league race in 2003. They were 11-2 on the final night and traveled to Penn (12-1) on the final night of the season with a share of the league title at stake. The Quakers held off a furious rally to win 3-1 and end the season short of a championship for Princeton.
The Tigers will return six of the same starters from that match: middles Alex Brown and Brittany Wood, opposite Ashley Weber, outside hitter Lauren Grumet, setter Jenny Senske and libero Jenny McReynolds. The lone new starter will be outside hitter Lauren Loban, who was named the Morgan State Tournament MVP in her first weekend as a starter.
Penn lost four key seniors from the three-time championship team, but it returns a pair of freshman defensive standouts as well as middle blocker Lynzy Caton, and it has also proven to be arguably the strongest home team in the league over the last three seasons.