Volleyball Team Nearly Stuns #13 Penn State, Falls 19-17 In Fifth-Set Thriller

Friday, March 31

University Park, Pa.

7:00 PM

Princeton University

10-11, 6-4

Penn State

15-9, 7-2

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Princeton	25	21	17	25	17	2
Penn State	23	25	25	19	19	3

Photo by: Beverly Schaefer

Volleyball Team Nearly Stuns #13 Penn State, Falls 19-17 In Fifth-Set Thriller

March 31, 2017 | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

For the second time this season, a youth-filled Princeton team served a match ball against the EIVA's most dominant team over the last two decades. In both cases, the Nittany Lions fended off the upset — including in thrilling fashion Friday night in State College — but the Tigers have showed over the last 11 days that they continue to move closer to the elite class in the sport.

They also moved into one of the wildest EIVA final sprints in recent history.

Only three days removed from #13 Penn State (15-9, 7-2 EIVA) shocking #1 Ohio State in Rec Hall, the Nittany Lions had to use a late surge in the fifth set just to draw even with Princeton (10-11, 6-4), and then needed four match balls to put the Tigers away. The win moves the Nittany Lions two up on the loss column over the rest of the league, while a Charleston loss left it at 0-11. The leaves six other teams with either four or five league losses, all of which will be battling for three open postseason spots over the final three weekends.

It's been crazy already this season, but it's about to get even wilder.

Princeton put itself in position to earn a little breathing room with a stunning late push. Following a 25-23 win in the opener, Princeton dropped 25-21 and 25-17 sets to a Penn State team that looked ready to take control of league play. The Tigers, who continue to start three freshmen who are already making major contributions, stunned Rec Hall with a 10-5 run to close the fourth set and set up the winner-take-all fifth. Runs of 3-0 and 4-2 during the fifth gave Princeton a 13-9 advantage, but Penn State pushed back with a 4-0 run of its own to even the set at 13-13.

Middle Junior Oboh put away his eighth of nine kills to earn a match ball, but freshman Parker Dixon's serve just missed the sideline to even the match. Penn State took the next point for its first lead of the final set and forced Princeton to sideout time and again to keep the match alive. Dixon, Oboh, and Kendall Ratter each responded on the first three match balls, but a Penn State block at 18-17 finally closed the match.

Dixon had 17 kills, six digs and six blocks in the loss, while Ratter had 16 kills, three blocks and two digs. Freshman George Huhmann had one of the best defensive performances for a Princeton volleyball player over the last decade, recording 12 blocks to go along with five kills and four digs, while classmate Greg Luck had 11 kills, nine digs, five blocks and two service aces. Senior Jonah May paced the offense with 48 assists.

Princeton will need to bounce back quickly, as it faces Saint Francis Saturday at 4 pm. The Red Flash posted a 3-1 win over NJIT Friday night to become one of five teams in the league (Princeton, NJIT, Saint Francis, Sacred Heart, and Harvard) with four league losses. Princeton defeated Saint Francis 3-2 in Dillon Gym earlier this season.