Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
New Jersey Tech
NJIT Rallies To Stun Men's Volleyball Squad 3-1
February 19, 2005 | Men's Volleyball
Feb. 19, 2005
Box Score
PRINCETON - After a nearly flawless opening game, the Princeton men's volleyball could never have expected the outcome of Saturday's home contest with NJIT. Despite having four players with at least 12 kills, the Tigers fell to NJIT 3-1 to drop their record to 2-6.
The Tigers hit .500 in the opening game and won 30-18, but the Highlanders, who played with great emotion the entire match, rsllied for wins of 30-27, 32-30 and 30-27 to clinch the match.
Princeton never looked back in the opening game after jumping out to a quick lead, and a kill by Evan Pasion gave the Tigers an 11-point lead late in the game (20-9). NJIT would cut the deficit to as few as six points, but it never got within legitimate shouting distance in the opener. The solid play from the Highlanders late in the first game translated to a much better start in the second game. While they weren't able to put much distance between themselves and the Tigers -- they never led by three points until 28-25 -- the Highlanders made sure that the deficit never got past two points. A pair of kills by Eduardo Welter, who led all players with 22 kills in the match, and an error by Reid Joseph gave NJIT the late three-point lead, and a final kill by Welter put the game away.
The third game was much of the same story, with the high majority of the game played at either a tie score or with one team holding a one-point lead. The score would be tied at 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30, but consecutive kills by Greg Wagner carried NJIT to the 32-30 lead.
Princeton jumped out early in the fourth game, but a 12-1 run midway through the game pushed the Highlanders to a 17-12 lead. Princeton made several mini-runs, but NJIT played strong enough defense and killed the key balls to hold the lead long enough for the upset.
Peter Eichler led Princeton with 15 kills and eight digs, while Blake Robinson had 14 kills and a .281 attack percentage. Sean Vitousek added 13 kills, five blocks and two digs, while Jack Pichard added 55 assists.
Princeton will play at George Mason next Saturday before beginning a seven-match homestand with a battle against Rutgers-Neward March 1 at 7 p.m. Those two teams have played back-to-back five-game matches, with the home team winning each.