Men’s Volleyball Concludes Regular Season on Seven-Match Win Streak

Saturday, April 16

Princeton, N.J.

2:00 PM

Princeton University

12-12,10-6EIVA

Sacred Heart

10-17,2-14EIVA

Sacred Heart

Princeton

Photo by: Beverly Schaefer

Men’s Volleyball Concludes Regular Season on Seven-Match Win Streak

April 16, 2022 | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

PRINCETON. N.J. – The Princeton University men's volleyball team will ride a seven-match winning streak into the postseason after earning the weekend sweep of Sacred Heart University, taking down the Pioneers 3-0 (25-16, 25-16, 31-29) Saturday afternoon inside Dillon Gymnasium on Senior Day.

Prior to the match, a ceremony was held honoring the Tigers' classes of '22 and '21; Niko Gjaja, Joe Kelly, Parker Dixon, Jerod Nelsen, Attila Delingat, A.J. Chen, and Jess Hunt.

Gjaja led the way for Princeton, hitting .450 and finishing with a match and career-high 11 kills. Kelly led the match in assists with 34, First Year Matt Suh led the team in digs with five, and First Year Nyherowo Omene recorded a match-high six blocks.

The Tigers took control early, with a senior Parker Dixon kill sparking a 4-0 run, putting the Tigers ahead 6-2. Princeton's momentum continued, with a Gjaja kill leading off a 6-0 run that saw the Tigers surge ahead, 16-8. The Tigers continued to remain in control, hitting .500 for the set and emerging as victors, 25-16.

The second set began as a back-and-forth battle; the Tigers began to create separation after kills by sophomore Gavin Leising and Gjaja gave Princeton an 11-8 advantage. A service ace by Leising put Princeton ahead, 15-10, and the Tigers would close the set out on a 3-0 run, with a Leising block giving Princeton set point, at 25-16.

SHU jumped out to a 12-11 advantage in the third set, but a Thompson kill sparked a 3-0 run, giving Princeton the lead at 13-12. Another 3-0 run, this time led off by a Gjaja kill, gave the Tigers a 16-13 lead but the Pioneers showed resolve down the stretch; the Tigers took match point at 25-24, but Sacred Heart went on to save four match points, with the Tigers finally putting the Pioneers away, 31-29 after a kill by junior Nate Thompson.

Up Next
The Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) Tournament begins on Wednesday, April 20, in University Park, Pennsylvania.