Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Ball State
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Upset Bid Falls Just Short In Marathon Heartbreaker At #14 Ball State
March 19, 2015 | Men's Volleyball
BOX SCORE
Despite two match balls, the Princeton men's volleyball team could not post a record-setting third victory over a ranked opponent in a single-season. The Tigers got huge efforts from the likes of Junior Oboh and Cody Kessel, but they weren't enough in a 3-2 loss at 14th-ranked Ball State.
Princeton won the final two points of the fourth set to win 25-23 and send the road match into a final set, which turned into one of its most thrilling of the season. After Princeton ran off four straight points to rally from an early 5-2 deficit, neither side held more than a one-point lead at any point of the fifth set until the final point.
Ball State earned the first match ball, but back-to-back kills by Devin Stearns and Kessel gave Princeton its first match ball. A service error and another Cardinal kill gave Ball State its second match ball, but Oboh fought that one off with his career-best 21st kill of the night. A hitting error by the home team gave Princeton a second match ball, but Ball State recorded a kill and won the final two points to take the 20-18 win.
Oboh continued his tremendous sophomore season with 21 kills and six blocks, and he hit .613 (21-2-31) in the match. Kessel, who ranks in the Top 3 in the NCAA in both points and kills per set, recorded 23 points, five digs and two blocks in the match. Stearns added 16 kills and 13 digs, while Kendall Ratter and Will Siroky both had three service aces apiece.
Sophomore Chris Kennedy paced the offense with 38 assists, while Jonah May added 21 assists to an offense that had more kills and a better hitting percentage than Ball State.
Princeton will play a third straight ranked opponent next weekend, and it will be the one that would mean most to defeat; the Tigers play EIVA frontrunner Penn State, which is playing its best volleyball of the season, to open a league road weekend next Friday night.