Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Kessel's 30-Kill Effort Helps Him Claim Third EIVA Offensive Player Honor
April 21, 2015 | Men's Volleyball
Cody Kessel had a plethora of memorable matches inside Dillon Gym throughout his All-America career, but he certainly put together a final week he will never forget. His 30-kill performance on Senior Night punctuated a brilliant three-match stretch that earned Kessel his third Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week award this season.
Even more importantly than the individual honor, his Senior Night heroics clinched a fourth-straight trip to the EIVA playoffs for Princeton, which knocked off Saint Francis 26-24, 19-25, 23-25, 28-26, 15-12 in the home finale.
“In his final match in Dillon Gym, Cody Kessel was as impressive as ever," head coach Sam Shweisky said. "If 30 kills while hitting .436 was what was needed to clinch a berth into the EIVA playoffs, then that is what Cody was going to produce. Cody led the team with a calm intensity that was contagious. His performance the night before against Penn State was no less impressive accounting for 17 out of 40 total kills we had that night; almost 50% of the offense.
"Cody has been a leader for this program since the day he stepped on campus," Shweisky added. "It was great to see his final night in Dillon Gym be such a special finale to his illustrious career. I am so proud of what he has done here the last four years both on and off the court.”
For the week, Kessel averaged 5.3 kills and 6.5 points per set, and he averaged at least one dig and service ace per set along the way. After sweeping Kean University to start the week, the Tigers pushed seventh-ranked Penn State to four tough sets in front of more than 1,700 fans at a packed Dillon Gym.
Then came Saturday night, when he finished one kill short of a career high in leading the Tigers to the marathon comeback win over Saint Francis.
Kessel, who ranks third in the NCAA in both kills and points per set, will try to clinch at least the third seed Friday night when Princeton heads to fellow EIVA playoff participant George Mason.