First-Place Tigers Head To New York To Complete First Half Of Ivy Season

Friday, October 13

Ithaca, N.Y.

7:00 PM

Princeton University

Cornell

Photo by: Beverly Schaefer

First-Place Tigers Head To New York To Complete First Half Of Ivy Season

October 12, 2017 | Women's Volleyball

LIVE VIDEO STREAM: Cornell l Columbia
LIVE STATS: Cornell l Columbia

After winning two games against then-undefeated Ivy foes over the last three matches, the Princeton women's volleyball team brings plenty of momentum into this weekend's road trip through New York, which will complete the first half of the Ivy League season. The Tigers (12-3, 5-0 Ivy) will open the weekend with a Friday match at Cornell (7 pm), and then will head to New York City to take on Columbia Saturday at 5 pm.

Both matches will be streamed live on the Ivy League Network (see links above).

Princeton put its depth on display last weekend, starting with a heroic effort by eventual Ivy League Player of the Week Nnenna Ibe on Friday. She posted a career-best 17 kills on only 21 swings in a 3-1 home win over Dartmouth, a match that helped her take over the Ivy League lead in hitting percentage (.416). The next night, reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Year Maggie O'Connell killed 17 balls and hit .519 to knock Harvard from the list of Ivy undefeated teams. O'Connell currently ranks second in the Ivy League, as well as her own Princeton class, in both kills (3.37) and points (3.88) this season.

Yes, the Princeton Class of 2020 can be found all over the Ivy League statistics. Sophomore outside Natasha Skov leads the league with 3.51 kills and 3.88 points per set this season, while classmate Jessie Harris leads the league and ranks 32 nationally with 10.96 assists per set. Devon Peterkin, the fourth member of the class in the starting lineup, has overcome early injuries and posted three double-digit kill performances in her last six matches.

Cornell (6-8, 2-3 Ivy) has been one of the league's best defensive teams, especially from the back row. The Big Red lead the league with 16.9 digs per set — Princeton is second with 15.24 — and they have the Ivy individual digs leader in Kiley McPeek (4.64). Princeton senior co-captain Maddie Huber is second with 4.27 digs per set, while no other player in the league is averaging more than four.

Columbia (5-9, 0-5 Ivy) has gotten off to a slow start, but it has also played all five Ivy League matches on the road this season. The Lions return home with several dangerous hitters, including sophomore Chichi Ikwuazom, who shared Rookie of the Year honors with O'Connell last season.