Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Men's Volleyball Faces Must-Win Scenario During EIVA Home Weekend
March 25, 2011 | Men's Volleyball
The Princeton men's volleyball team dug itself one huge hole in its goal of reaching the EIVA postseason, but the Tigers aren't buried yet. With two Tait Division matches at home this weekend, the Tigers still have an opportunity to keep the dream alive.
Princeton will play its final Tait Division home weekend of the season, and it will begin Friday night at 7 against 12-time defending EIVA champion Penn State. The Nittany Lions are undefeated in divisional play, but with George Mason only one match behind, Penn State still has plenty to play for.
While a victory over Penn State would be dramatic, it wouldn't be as meaningful as a victory Saturday at 4 against Saint Francis. While Princeton stands at 0-7 in the Tait Division, Saint Francis enters the weekend only 2-4 and is still within Princeton's reach.
There are five playoff berths available in the six-team division, and the top four teams have already secured a spot. Should both Princeton and Saint Francis lose Friday night (the Red Flash plays at Rutgers-Newark), the task would be simple enough for the Tigers. They would need to defeat the Red Flash in less than five games Saturday (a five-game match would give Saint Francis the playoff tiebreaker), and they would need to win the final road match of the season at George Mason to have a shot at running down the final playoff spot.
It sounds like a steep mountain to climb, but for the first time this season, Princeton will head into a weekend with actual momentum. Princeton played its best match of the season last Sunday, topping Juniata 3-0 at home behind the strong play of freshman Jeff Stapleton and sophomore Michael Dye. Those two were the leading hitters for an offense that was for more efficient than it had been during previous weeks. The victory could instill renewed energy and confidence into a team that could still have one late run left in it.