Tigers Put Scare Into #3 BYU Before Falling 3-1

Tuesday, March 21

Provo, Utah

7:00 PM MT

Princeton University

9-9, 6-3EIVA

BYU

20-2, 13-1MPSF

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Princeton	23	23	25	18	1
BYU	25	25	21	25	3

Photo by: Beverly Schaefer

March 21, 2017 | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

Princeton will leave this Spring Break trip with a handful of terrific experiences, many of which will strengthen a young men's volleyball team looking to build a foundation for both present and future success.

Make no mistake, though. The Tigers didn't step on the Smith Fieldhouse court Tuesday night for an experience. They didn't do it for team-building or camaraderie or to simply say they faced one of the NCAA's best teams.

No, Princeton took the court to play high-level volleyball. And it did.

The #3 BYU Cougars extended their win streak to 12 Tuesday night, but not without a major challenge thrown down by a Princeton squad that started three freshmen and hasn't played a match in more than a week due to mid-terms. Former AVCA National Player of the Week Parker Dixon led the Tigers with 13 kills, including seven in a thrilling third-set victory, but BYU used two tight wins early to fend off the upset 3-1.

BYU entered the match having dropped only two sets since Feb. 4 — a stretch that includes back-to-back 3-0 wins over #4 Hawaii last week — and it barely avoided a third early with a pair of 25-23 wins. Princeton regrouped during the intermission, grabbed an early lead and made a strong late push for a 25-21 win. That set was dominated by Dixon, who looked like the talented outside who paced Princeton to a strong start in EIVA play.

The Cougars, who face No. 1 Long Beach State twice this weekend, finally took control midway through the fourth and finished the match with a 25-18 win.

Dixon continued to show his impressive potential against the Cougars; he led Princeton with 13 kills, hit .269 and added three digs. All-EIVA middle Junior Oboh also posted a strong effort, killing nine balls on 14 swings (.571) and added a match-high seven blocks; his defensive presence and offensive efficiency should serve as a reminder that he should be mentioned when talking about the elite middles in the NCAA. Junior Kendall Ratter (8) and freshman Greg Luck (7) combined for 15 kills, while both Ratter and freshman George Huhmann recorded four blocks apiece.

Senior setter Jonah May paced the offence with 33 assists, and he added four digs, four blocks and two kills in a well-rounded performance.

The match resembled another Princeton-BYU volleyball match from December, when both schools met in the NCAA Women's Volleyball tournament. BYU was a Top-10 program, but Princeton pushed the Cougars hard in two tight sets before ultimately falling in three.

The Tigers will continue their Spring Break road trip Thursday and Friday at Grand Canyon, the top team receiving votes outside the latest AVCA Top 15.