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Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
First-Place Volleyball Sweeps Ivy Awards For Second Time In Four Weeks
October 17, 2011 | Women's Volleyball
Princeton juniors Lydia Rudnick and Ginny Willis were honored by the Ivy League after they led the Tigers to a weekend sweep of Yale and Brown and a share of first place in the league.
The two helped Princeton defeat Yale 3-1 Friday night in front of a energetic home crowd, and they followed with a 3-0 sweep of Brown. Princeton now stands at 6-1 in the Ivy League, which puts them in a tie with Yale. Columbia is one match behind at 5-2.
Princeton has also dominated the Ivy League individual awards since league play began. In the four weeks since the Ivy opener, Princeton has won five of the eight individual honors, including three of four Rookie of the Week honors. Willis claimed her second Rookie honor this week, while middle Nicole Kincade took the honor after a sweep of Harvard and Dartmouth.
Rudnick, a junior outside from Encinitas, Calif., had the best weekend of her season. Against formerly unbeaten Yale, Rudnick recorded 25 kills with only two errors, hit .424 for the match and added 14 digs in a 3-1 win. The next day, she recorded 16 kills and 10 digs in a 3-0 win over Brown to give Princeton a 6-1 Ivy record through the first half of the Ivy League season.
"Lydia played out of her mind last weekend," head coach Sabrina King said. "It was probably the single-best outside hitter performance I've seen in eight years of coaching. We hope she builds on this for the second half of the Ivy season."
With the effort, Rudnick moved into the League kills lead with 3.72 per set and trails only her teammate, senior middle blocker Cathryn Quinn, in points. She is averaging 4.18 points per set, though she averaged more than six per set over the weekend.
Willis, a freshman setter from Tampa, Fla., averaged 12.43 assists per set and helped Princeton hit .241 during the weekend sweep. Against a Yale team that has held its opponents to a .172 attack percentage this season, the Tigers hit .268, including .389 in the decisive fourth set. For the match, she totalled 53 assists, adding five digs and a service ace.
In a 3-0 sweep over Brown, she compiled 34 assists with six digs, one block assist and her second service ace of the weekend.
"Ginny handled a pressure-packed weekend with a lot of maturity," King said. "She knew the hot hitters and set them up for success."
Princeton will return to the court Friday night when it takes on the 2010 Ivy champion Penn Quakers at The Palestra. Princeton and Penn have played three straight five-set thrillers, including a 3-2 Princeton win at Dillon Gym to open the 2011 Ivy season.