Princeton University Athletics
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Men's Volleyball Honors Seniors, Concludes Home Season vs. Ranked EIVA Duo
March 31, 2016 | Men's Volleyball
The Princeton men's volleyball team will close out its home schedule and honor its Class of 2016 this weekend when it hosts No. 11 Penn State and No. 15 Saint Francis in a pair of matches at Dillon Gym.
The Tigers also need to use the weekend as a launching point for a late-season run if they plan to make a fifth-straight trip to the EIVA semifinals. Princeton is currently 3-6 in league play, two matches behind Harvard for the fourth playoff spot with five to play.
It isn't impossible, but it is a daunting challenge, especially considering the upcoming opponents.
The 11th-ranked Nittany Lions have won every EIVA championship since Princeton won the 1998 title, and they again lead the league standings entering the sprint to the postseason. Chris Nugent ranks second in the EIVA with 3.86 kills per set, while Taylor Hammond leads the league with 10.85 assists per set.
Penn State does have a loss in league play, and it came at the hands of a streaking Saint Francis team. The Red Flash, which took a 3-1 win at Penn State earlier this month, has won nine of its last 10 matches, a stretch that began with a 3-1 home win over Princeton in mid-February.
While the Tigers will be looking to ignite a run to the playoffs, they will also send off their seniors in their final home matches. The Class of 2016 (Devin Stearns, Zach Shaw, Alex Schindele-Murayama and Michael Bagnell) have helped Princeton to three straight EIVA postseasons, as well as a spot in the 2014 league championship match.