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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Villanova
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Shorthanded Volleyball Squad Drops Two At Villanova Classic
September 12, 2009 | Women's Volleyball
If nothing else, the Princeton women's volleyball team is learning how to play in tight matches and deal with adversity early in the season. Princeton dropped a five-set thriller to Villanova and, without its freshman class, fell 3-0 to UMBC in the finale of the Villanova Classic.
For the second straight match at the Villanova Classic, Princeton got brilliant play from its outside hitters in Saturday's opening match at Villanova. Senior Sheena Donohue, a two-time All-Ivy outside hitter, recorded 19 kills and 29 digs, while freshman Lydia Rudnick recorded 21 kills and 16 digs, but it wouldn't be enough against the host Wildcats.
After splitting the first two sets, Princeton fell 25-19 in the third to fall into a 2-1 hole. The Tigers responded early in the fourth to build a four-point lead and didn't let up from there in a 25-19 win. Princeton carried that momentum into the fifth set, and after consecutive kills by Rudnick, the Tigers held a 7-2 lead. Following a timeout, Villanova came back with seven of the next nine points and put the match away with a finishing 3-0 run in a 15-12 victory.
While the outsides combined for 40 kills, the most impressive hitting performance came from sophomore Cathryn Quinn, who recorded 17 kills without an error for a .607 attack percentage. Princeton recorded 103 digs in the match, including 19 from libero Hillary Ford. Princeton ended the match with more kills, assists, digs and a better hitting percentage than Villanova, but its inability to close out sets came back to bite the Tigers in the end.
The nightcap posed another problem for Princeton, as its freshman class was forced to miss the match for orientation. Without its starting setter and one outside hitter, Princeton struggled in the first two sets of a 3-0 loss. The Tigers, who got nine kills and 14 digs from Donohue, showed signs in the third of clawing back into the match and stood one point away of a fourth set when another failed close-out ended their weekend. Ahead 24-18, UMBC scored six straight points and nine of 10 to close out the victory.
Princeton will head to Morgantown, W.V., next weekend to compete in the West Virginia Classic, the final tournament weekend before Ivy League play begins on Oct. 3.