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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
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Peterkin Powers Volleyball To Opening-Day Split At Temple Invitational
September 05, 2014 | Women's Volleyball
VIDEO FEATURES: Season Preview l Offseason Chat With Sabrina King, Part 1 and Part 2
TEMPLE INVITATIONAL: Live Video l Live Stats
TWITTER: @PrincetonVolley l @PUTigers
The Princeton women's volleyball team became the answer to a trivia question for sometime down the road. When people wonder what was the first win of the hopefully highly successful Mollie Marcoux Era, they will go back to a midday match in Philadelphia, when the Tigers took control of the final two sets in a 3-1 win over Holy Cross.
Princeton split its opening day of the 2014 season, dropping a close match to Charlotte in the weekend opener. The Tigers will conclude play Saturday at 1 pm when they take on the host school in the final day of the Temple Invitational.
Princeton 3, Holy Cross 1
Junior Kendall Peterkin showed flashes of her 2012 first-team All-Ivy form against the Crusaders, recording 20 kills, 14 digs and hitting .436 in a 25-17, 23-25, 25-12, 25-15 win. One of the top point scorers in the league in each of her first two seasons, Peterkin added a pair of service aces and a pair of blocks in a dominant performance.
Sophomore Cara Mattaliano, a first-team All-Ivy selection last year, added 16 kills and 13 digs, while sophomore middle Brittany Ptak capped a strong opening day with 11 kills and a .450 hitting performance. The 11 kills was one off her career high, which had been set about three hours earlier (see below).
Freshman Pauli King made her collegiate debut and added five kills and 12 digs, while sophomore setter Lauren Miller had 47 assists and 13 digs.
After nearly rallying past Holy Cross in the second set, the Tigers took control of the match early in the third. Princeton won nine of the first 11 points and never relinquished control for the remaining two sets.
Charlotte 3, Princeton 1
Sophomore Brittany Ptak made a splash in her season debut, recording 12 kills and hitting a team-best .526, but it wasn't enough for Princeton against a Charlotte team playing its eighth match of the season. The 49ers took the momentum in a tight third set and carried it through for a 3-1 win.
Ptak, who moved into the starting lineup after a preseason injury to All-Ivy middle Tiana Woolridge, had only two errors on 19 swings, and was one of three Tigers with double-digit kills. Returning first-team All-Ivy sophomore Cara Mattaliano led Princeton with 15 kills, while 2012 first-team All-Ivy honoree Kendall Peterkin added 14 kills and 18 digs.
The match was close throughout, especially in the middle two sets, when there were 17 ties and four lead changes. Charlotte was two points away from a 2-0 lead, but Princeton scored the final four points of the second set to earn a 25-23 win. A combo block from Peterkin and senior Nicole Kincade, who had a team-high five blocks, set up a set ball, which Princeton won on a hitting error.
The Tigers tried another late rally in the third set, scoring five of seven points in one stretch, but Sarah Adams clinched the set 25-22, and Charlotte took control of the fourth game early to take the Temple Invitational opener.