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Volleyball Outlasts Juniata In 3-2 Thriller, Completes Weekend Sweep
March 17, 2007 | Men's Volleyball
The Princeton men's volleyball team knew a home sweep would go a long way to securing at least one EIVA postseason bye, and it also knew that win would have to be earned against a gritty Juniata squad. After watching a big lead evaporate in the third game, the Tigers rallied to earn that win with a thrilling 15-13 victory in a tense fifth game.
The Tigers, who dropped a 3-2 decision at Juniata in the EIVA opener, improved to 8-6, 6-3 in the league, with a 30-26, 20-30, 37-35, 30-28, 15-13 win over the Eagles. Juniata fell to 9-5 overall, 4-4 in divisional play. The win keeps Princeton in second place; the top two teams in the league earn double byes and go straight to the EIVA semifinals.
Sophomore middle Mike Vincent led Princeton with 17 kills, seven assisted blocks, two aces and a .355 attack percentage, while junior captain Peter Eichler added 14 kills and 13 digs for the Tigers. Both Phillip Rosenberg and Reid Joseph added 10 kills, while sophomore setter Brandon Denham had 57 assists.
After splitting the first two games, Princeton was on the verge of a 2-1 advantage with a 29-25 edge in the third game. Errant play by Princeton, including a pair of missed attacks, helped Juniata to even the score at 29. Both teams served multiple game balls, but it wasn't until consecutive kills by Nate Ocasio, who led all players with 27 kills, that the Eagles celebrated an emotional 37-35 win. It was then that Princeton desperately needed to regroup.
"Juniata is always tough," Eichler said. "We lost to them in five at their place, and after that game, we just said it can't happen again tonight. Not here."
Needing a quick start in the fourth game, Princeton built an early 13-4 lead. Juniata chipped away with small runs here and there, and eventually tied the score at 23 on a kill by Glenn DeHaven. A Juniata service error and two kills by Eichler earned Princeton a 26-23 lead, and an attack error on game ball gave the Tigers a 30-28 win.
Princeton got out early in the fifth game, building leads of 8-5 and 12-8 before serving game ball at 14-10. A Juniata kill, block and service ace got the Eagles to within one point, but Joseph killed the final ball on a perfect Denham set to clinch the win.
"To sweep this weekend was huge for us," Eichler said a day after Princeton swept 2006 EIVA finalist St. Francis 3-0. "Three teams were tied for second coming into the weekend, so it was crucial for us to get these matches."
"The guys definitely believe," head coach Glenn Nelson added. "But it's one thing to believe. It's another to hit your jump serves. Look at Vincent, he makes a couple of runs in the final two games on those jump serves. If he misses them, we might lose. We had our serves going early, then started missing them in the middle games. We got them back when we needed it."