Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Hope International
Men's Volleyball Leaves Hotel California With Hope, Victory
January 27, 2005 | Men's Volleyball
Jan. 28, 2005
Box Score
FULLERTON, Calif. - The Princeton men's volleyball team will return to the frigid Northeast with a degree of momentum after earning a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Hope International Thursday evening.
Even though head coach Glenn Nelson felt that his team had showed improvement in the first two matches, following a pair of losses to national powerhouses, Princeton knew it would need a strong effort to come home with a win on the trip. Hope International wasn't quite on the level of the first two opponents, but the preseason No. 7 in the NAIA rankings had enough talented players to push Princeton.
The push came, but Princeton responded with an even stronger push of its own to claim a 3-1 win. After splitting the first two games, Princeton earned a 30-24 win in the third game and then closed the match with a 31-29 win in the fourth game. Playing without top middle blocker Brian Hamming, who injured his shoulder in the season opener, the Tigers relied on their outside hitters to control the offense. While team captain and All-EIVA outside Blake Robinson had a solid night with 11 kills, it was freshman Peter Eichler who became the go-to hitter. The Pacific Palisades, Calif., native killed 22 balls to go along with his 10 digs to lead the way.
Princeton hit .370 in the opening game and cruised to a 30-19 win, but the Royals battled back in the second game to win 30-28. Momentum stayed with the home side early in the third game, as Hope jumped out to a 9-2 lead. Princeton dug deep from that point to take a convincing 30-24 win and set up a battle in the fourth game. Hope hit .394 in the final game, but Princeton topped its hosts by hitting .415 (22 kills, five errors, 41 attacks), its best total of the season. At 30-29, the Tigers took advantage of an overpass to put the match away.
Junior setter Jack Pichard led all players with 51 assists and chipped in seven digs. Junior libero Mark Stevens recorded nine digs. One night after Princeton was outblocked 14-1 by Cal-Baptist, the Tigers recorded 14 blocks of their own. Eight came from Sean Vitousek (four solo, four assisted), who also added 10 kills.
The Tigers will now have eight days to prepare for the beginning of the EIVA season. Princeton faces a tall task in the opener, as it will travel to 2004 EIVA finalist Rutgers-Newark. The Tigers split matches with Rutgers last season, although Princeton has not won at Newark since 2002.