Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
2-0,0-0EIVA
Queens University of Charlotte
0-2,0-0MIVA
Men's Volleyball Takes Down Queens University of Charlotte, 3-1
January 09, 2024 | Men's Volleyball
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Tonight, the Princeton men's volleyball team successfully concluded the series sweep against Queens University of Charlotte with a 3-1 victory (20-25, 25-19, 25-17, 25-12). In his second performance against the Royals, first-year player Tristan Whitfield demonstrated a strong performance, securing 6 kills, 9 blocks, and a .750 hitting percentage.
The match began with Ben Harrington delivering a service ace, and in the first set, Whitfield achieved his first collegiate career kill and added 2 blocks to his contributions.
Queens went on a 3-0 scoring run, putting the Tigers at a 19-16 deficit. Owen Mellon interrupted the streak with a kill, but despite this momentary momentum, the Tigers couldn't capitalize, allowing the Royals to secure a 25-20 victory in the first set. Owen Mellon and Ben Harrington collectively contributed 7 of the 11 kills for the Tigers in set 1.
At the outset of the second set, Ryan Vena notched his third kill. Shortly after, the Tigers propelled themselves to an 11-5 lead after a three-point scoring spree. At this point in the match, the Tigers were ahead of the Royals in total kills, with a count of 18-13.
Princeton established its largest lead with a 10-point difference at 19-9, shortly after Harrington secured his seventh kill of the match. However, Queens mounted a comeback with an 8-3 scoring run, making the set more competitive and bringing the score to 22-18 in favor of the Tigers.
Owen Mellon's eighth kill of the match increased Princeton's lead to a more comfortable 23-18., and with kills from bothHarrington and Mellon, the Tigers closed out the second set with a 25-19 victory.
Princeton and Queens exchanged points throughout the third set, with lead changes occurring on a single-point basis. The score reached 14-12 when Henry Wedbush delivered back-to-back service aces.
Princeton then surged ahead, establishing a five-point lead at 19-14 through a 3-0 scoring run. This run was concluded with a Tristan Whitfield service ace, marking another first in his collegiate career, just before the media timeout. The Tigers would go on 6-1 scoring run to take the third set 25-17.
As Princeton entered the fourth set, they exhibited dominance, quickly securing a commanding 6-1 lead. The momentum continued as Ben Harrington notched his 16th kill, extending the lead to 7-2.
In the fourth set, the Tigers enjoyed their most substantial lead, reaching a 10-point advantage at 16-6. This significant lead persisted in a back-and-forth exchange, maintaining the 10-point gap until the score reached 19-9.
Tristan Whitfield scored on consecutive service aces, bringing the score to 22-9. Ben Harrington capped off the Tigers' victory, concluding the set with the team's most significant margin of victory this season.
The Tigers edged the Royals 3-1 (20-25, 25-19, 25-17, 25-12)
Important Stat Leaders
- Points: Ben Harrington - 21
- Service Aces: Tristan Whitfield/Henry Wedbush - 3
- Kills: Ben Harrington - 18
- Digs: Henry Wedbush - 10
- Assists: Henry Wedbush - 37
Up Next
The Princeton men's volleyball team will begin an early-season trip to California from January 13th to the 19th, where they will compete against University of California Irvine, the University of California San Diego, and California State University, Northridge
