Volleyball Bounces Back At Brown, Heads Into Final Weekend Alone In First Atop Ivy Standings

Saturday, November 5

Providence, RI

5:00 PM

Princeton University

17-4, 11-1Ivy

Brown

5-17, 3-9Ivy

Princeton

Brown

Photo by: Beverly Schaefer

Volleyball Bounces Back At Brown, Heads Into Final Weekend Alone In First Atop Ivy Standings

November 05, 2016 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

If you wondered how long Friday's 3-2 loss at Yale would affect the spirit of the Princeton women's volleyball team, you got your answer fairly quickly Saturday.

Not long. Not long at all.

Princeton may have left New Haven Friday with its first Ivy League loss this season, but it also left alone in first place in the Ivy League standings. The Tigers left Providence Saturday in the exact same spot, as they overwhelmed Brown on its Senior Night for a 25-16, 26-24, 26-14 victory. That victory means that if Princeton wins both matches of its regular season home finale next weekend — Friday vs. Cornell at 7, Saturday vs. Columbia at 5, both on the Ivy Digital Network — it will win the outright Ivy League title and return to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2007.

While Brown celebrated its senior class, Princeton head coach Sabrina King was happy to celebrate her freshman class following the match. Reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Week Maggie O'Connell had 15 kills, four blocks and hit .355, while classmate Devon Peterkin added 14 kills and three blocks while hitting .480 for the match. Meanwhile freshman setter Jessie Harris paced the offense with 41 assists and helped the Tigers hit .283.

Senior Cara Mattaliano, the Ivy League leader in kills, had 10 kills and 10 digs, while sophomore Nnenna Ibe added six kills and hit .625 for one of her best offensive performances of the Ivy season. The duo of Kelly Matthews and Maddie Huber combined for 23 digs to help Princeton outdig Brown 56-38.