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Rookie Heroics Sends Men's Volleyball To Second Place In EIVA
March 13, 2010 | Men's Volleyball
With second place on the line in the EIVA Tait Division, the Princeton men's volleyball team climbed on the shoulders of a freshman to carry it from yet another 2-0 hole. That freshman was Pat Schwagler, and he was simply brilliant Friday night.
Schwagler recorded a career-best 31 kills and added 13 digs and four blocks to lead the Princeton men's volleyball team to a 28-30, 28-30, 30-26, 30-26, 15-11 victory over Springfield College Friday night at Dillon Gym. The win moves Princeton to 7-5 overall, 3-2 in the Tait Division; the Tigers now hold second place in the division entering a two-week break.
The victory also ends a remarkable three-match stretch of Tait Division victories. Once 0-2 in the division and worrying about simply making the playoffs, Princeton has won three straight 3-2 matches over Saint Francis, Juniata and Springfield and can now focus on keeping itself near the top of the divisional standings.
Princeton has done more than win three matches during that stretch. It has seen a trio of freshman starters, including Schwagler, grow up quickly in the heat of divisional battle.
"I've grown so much recently," said Schwagler, who couldn't remember if he had ever recorded 30 kills in a match. "I've never played in so many consecutive high-intensity matches. I don't feel like a freshman anymore."
He certainly didn't play like one against Springfield, one of two Tait Division teams to own a win over Princeton this season. After Princeton lost a pair of tight two-point sets to open the match, Schwagler took over the end of the third to prolong the match. After the Pride built a 25-24 lead, Schwagler recorded three straight kills to put Princeton up 27-25. Springfield sided out, but Schwagler kept the Tigers up with another kill, and followed with a block to put Princeton on the brink of victory.
The fourth game was tight throughout, but Princeton was able to pull away late with a strong effort from fellow outside Vincent Tuminelli, who recorded three late kills, including one on game ball. Tuminelli overcame a shaky first set to end the match with 18 kills and six digs, and his kill off the block sent Princeton into the fifth game.
"The first two games, we couldn't get it going," Schwagler said. "Once we were going into the fifth game, we were really confident. We have so much experience in five-game matches."
Exactly as they did against Juniata one week earlier, the Tigers found themselves in an early hole in the fifth-game sprint. Down 3-0, Princeton fought back and got a block and a kill from senior middle Jeff McCown to even the score at 5. Princeton got its first two-point lead on a combo block by Schwagler and fellow freshman Michael Dye, and it ultimately got to 14-10 following consecutive Pride errors. Springfield sided out once, but the 31st kill by Schwagler put the match away.
"I've seen a real growth in Pat over these last three weeks," said head coach Sam Shweisky. "As a freshman, he has been a little cautious to assume a leadership role, but this is what he is capable of. He did a fantastic job tonight."
He might have been the highlight performer, but he was far from the only standout in a victory over a talented Springfield squad. McCown ended with 12 kills and eight blocks, while Dye had 12 kills and five blocks. Sophomore setter Scott Liljestrom recorded 66 assists, while freshman Sean Cotter recorded 10 digs.
Princeton will next return to the court March 26 at Penn State.