Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Rutgers-Newark
Missed Opportunities Plague Men's Volleyball In 3-2 Loss
February 18, 2006 | Men's Volleyball
Feb. 18, 2006
Box Score
PRINCETON - If the Princeton men's volleyball team loses home court in the postseason by one match, this will be the one the Tigers remember most. Princeton lost a 9-point lead in the second game and fell 3-2 to Rutgers-Newark on its home floor. Princeton had 25 more kills than Newark, but was out-blocked 20-11.
Princeton won the opening game 30-23 and led 22-13 in the second game before the Scarlet Raiders began their surge back into the match. Newark won 13 of the next 17 points to pull even at 27-27, but the match was extended beyond the 30-point mark, and Princeton had seven game balls it failed to capitalize on. Newark got a kill from Danny McGowan to even the score at 36-36, and then two straight blocks to claim the stunning 38-36 win.
Princeton came back strong in the third game for a 30-24 win, but Newark forced the decisive fifth game with a 30-27 win in the fourth.
The fifth game looked like it would be a Newark rout early on, as the visitors surged to an 8-3 lead. A block by setter Brandon Denham stopped the run, and senior Ryn Burns went on to serve Princeton back to 8-8. Princeton appeared to have a 9-8 lead when middle blocker Brian Hamming killed a ball, but the second referee overruled the call and said that Hamming's hand hit the net. That quick change in momentum aided Newark, which went on to get the game to 11-11 before getting a pair of blocks and then a pair of attack errors to claim the win.
Sophomore outside hitter Peter Eichler led Princeton with 22 kills, while senior Jack Pichard added 18 kills and three aces. Hamming and Vincent combined for 24 kills, five solo blocks and 10 assisted blocks from the middle, and Denham led all players with 65 assists and 11 digs. Princeton falls to 2-7 overall and 2-3 in EIVA Tait play. The Tigers will travel to Penn State on March 3 before a rematch at Newark on March 7.