Princeton University Athletics
Tuesday, February 14
Princeton, N.J.
7:00 PM
Princeton University
vs
NJIT
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Men's Volleyball
Photo by: Beverly Schaefer
After Wild Weekend, Princeton Hopes To Keep Momentum Going With Tuesday Home Match vs NJIT
February 14, 2017 | Men's Volleyball
EIVA LINKS: Standings l League Leaders
Princeton figured it would learn a lot about itself during the first weekend of the EIVA season, and it certainly did.
But the Tigers learned a lot about the EIVA as well. The biggest lesson? The chase for those four EIVA playoff spots could be as wild and unpredictable as any in recent history.
Princeton, Penn State, Saint Francis and NJIT each played back-to-back five-set matches over the weekend. Reigning EIVA champion George Mason jumped out to a 2-0 lead at Harvard, only to have the Crimson come storming back in a 3-2 win of its own. Five matches, featuring six teams with legitimate postseason aspirations, each came down to a final set, a chase to 15 where anything could happen. If those two days gave any indication of what the next two months are like, the difference between a high seed in the EIVA playoffs and an early conclusion to the season could come down to one match, one set, one swing.
That brings us to Tuesday night, a Valentine's Day showdown in Dillon Gym between two teams that split a pair of 3-2 decisions over the weekend. NJIT (5-5, 1-1 EIVA) and Princeton (3-6, 1-1 EIVA) are both coming off 3-2 wins over Saint Francis and near-upsets of Penn State, and now each is looking to get back above the .500 mark during a 7 pm showdown that will be streamed live on the Ivy League Digital Network.
The match will feature two of the league's best hitters, even if they came into the season with far different expectations. NJIT senior Jabarry Goodridge, the reigning EIVA Co-Player of the Year, leads the EIVA and ranks ninth in the NCAA with 4.05 kills per set, and he ranks sixth in the league with a .290 hitting percentage. He has had at least 15 kills in six straight matches for the Highlanders, and he posted a 15-kill, seven-dig effort in Saturday's win over Saint Francis.
Goodridge's start hasn't surprised anybody in the EIVA. The one from Princeton junior Kendall Ratter, however, is a different story.
Ratter entered the season unsure of where he would fit into the youthful Princeton lineup, but he hasn't wasted any time in making sure he fit somewhere. Last weekend, he showed that he could be the focal point of an efficient offense; he set career highs on consecutive nights with 26 and 27 kills, the latter coming in a 3-2 loss to 14th-ranked Penn State. Ratter hit over .360 both nights, and he now leads the EIVA in hitting percentage at .357. He also leads the EIVA in service aces (0.53), and he is the only player in the EIVA to rank in the Top 5 in kills, hitting percentage and service aces this season.
NJIT won both meetings last season, including a 3-2 win in Dillon Gym. Goodridge had 30 kills in that match.
Princeton figured it would learn a lot about itself during the first weekend of the EIVA season, and it certainly did.
But the Tigers learned a lot about the EIVA as well. The biggest lesson? The chase for those four EIVA playoff spots could be as wild and unpredictable as any in recent history.
Princeton, Penn State, Saint Francis and NJIT each played back-to-back five-set matches over the weekend. Reigning EIVA champion George Mason jumped out to a 2-0 lead at Harvard, only to have the Crimson come storming back in a 3-2 win of its own. Five matches, featuring six teams with legitimate postseason aspirations, each came down to a final set, a chase to 15 where anything could happen. If those two days gave any indication of what the next two months are like, the difference between a high seed in the EIVA playoffs and an early conclusion to the season could come down to one match, one set, one swing.
That brings us to Tuesday night, a Valentine's Day showdown in Dillon Gym between two teams that split a pair of 3-2 decisions over the weekend. NJIT (5-5, 1-1 EIVA) and Princeton (3-6, 1-1 EIVA) are both coming off 3-2 wins over Saint Francis and near-upsets of Penn State, and now each is looking to get back above the .500 mark during a 7 pm showdown that will be streamed live on the Ivy League Digital Network.
The match will feature two of the league's best hitters, even if they came into the season with far different expectations. NJIT senior Jabarry Goodridge, the reigning EIVA Co-Player of the Year, leads the EIVA and ranks ninth in the NCAA with 4.05 kills per set, and he ranks sixth in the league with a .290 hitting percentage. He has had at least 15 kills in six straight matches for the Highlanders, and he posted a 15-kill, seven-dig effort in Saturday's win over Saint Francis.
Goodridge's start hasn't surprised anybody in the EIVA. The one from Princeton junior Kendall Ratter, however, is a different story.
Ratter entered the season unsure of where he would fit into the youthful Princeton lineup, but he hasn't wasted any time in making sure he fit somewhere. Last weekend, he showed that he could be the focal point of an efficient offense; he set career highs on consecutive nights with 26 and 27 kills, the latter coming in a 3-2 loss to 14th-ranked Penn State. Ratter hit over .360 both nights, and he now leads the EIVA in hitting percentage at .357. He also leads the EIVA in service aces (0.53), and he is the only player in the EIVA to rank in the Top 5 in kills, hitting percentage and service aces this season.
NJIT won both meetings last season, including a 3-2 win in Dillon Gym. Goodridge had 30 kills in that match.
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