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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Penn
Players Mentioned
Volleyball Rallies, Stuns Reigning Champ Penn To Open 2010 Ivy Slate
October 02, 2010 | Women's Volleyball
The Princeton volleyball team walked into Friday night's 10-minute intermission down two sets on the road to the reigning Ivy League champion. Without any recent history of beating top-ranked Ivy opponents to draw on, there was little reason to expect Princeton to pull off a dramatic comeback.
Somebody forgot to tell the Tigers that, though. Princeton stunned the home team by winning three straight sets to claim an Ivy-opening 3-2 road victory over Penn. The win moved the Tigers to 6-6 overall, 1-0 in the Ivy League, but it likely did far more for Princeton in terms of intangibles.
"There was leadership on the court, and we really played as a unit," head coach Jolie Ward said. "Because of how consistent we were, we performed at the important moments. We played without any fear for the first time this season. They came out with an understanding that they were just sick of losing, and they did something about it.
"Earlier this season, we weren't trying to get points," she added. "We waited for the other team to make a mistake. Tonight, we were urgent and responsive. Our tendency is that we have waited for help. In games 3, 4 and 5 we didn't do that. We had a better defense those games, keeping balls alive and working a lot harder than before."
Princeton, which had a set ball in the opener, used its late rally to earn a 24-26, 15-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-9 victory over the Quakers. In both 2008 and 2009, the Tigers were a combined 0-6 against teams that finished above them in the Ivy standings (Yale in 2008, Penn and Yale in 2009). Though we have a long way to go before we know the ultimate 2010 Ivy League standings, an early victory over the reigning Ivy League champion could indicate a major change in that trend.
The Tigers got strong performances all around. Sophomore Lydia Rudnick has been one of the top-rated hitters in the Ivy League throughout the season, but some may have wondered whether she truly belonged among the league elite. Those questions were put to rest Friday night, as Rudnick recorded 26 kills, 12 digs and a .300 attack percentage in the win.
Junior Cathryn Quinn, Princeton's most experienced starter, also had a strong effort for the Tigers. The middle recorded 18 kills and six blocks while providing important leadership after the Tigers found themselves in an early hole.
"She's always been a good player," Ward said of her top middle, "but she might have been a little stifled last year. She has always had that fire in her. She struggled a little early tonight, but that turned around at the end. She was determined to win this match. We told her we needed her to be a leader, and she really stepped up tonight. We have great talent on the team, but we don't always have an all-inclusive, consistent talent. She did everything we needed from her tonight."
Pacing the offense was junior Michaela Venuti, who recorded 53 assists and 12 digs. Classmate Hillary Ford excelled as the starting libero, recording a match-best 25 digs. Senior co-captain Liz McStravick was efficient in her hitting, killing eight balls on 17 swings.
Princeton nearly went up 1-0 in the match, but a 24-23 lead evaporated in a three-point Penn surge. The Quakers used that momentum to coast in the second set, but everything changed in the third. A block and a kill by Jennifer Palmquist helped Princeton open a four-point lead midway through the set, but the Quakers rallied to force a 20-20 tie. Princeton never let Penn get a lead, and a Quinn kill gave the Tigers a 25-23 win.
The Tigers trailed early in the fourth, but they quickly got back even and were far too strong late. Ahead 18-17, Princeton scored seven of the final nine points to take the set, and it never trailed in the fifth. Either Quinn or Rudnick had a hand in each of Princeton's final seven points.
The Tigers will return home with a chance to make a major statement in the league next weekend. They will host Brown and Yale at Dillon Gym, beginning Friday night at 7 p.m. against Brown. Princeton will take on Yale Saturday at 4 p.m.; the Bulldogs have won each of the last four against Princeton.
Of course, history said Princeton wouldn't win at Penn, either. This team seems far more interested in writing a new story.