Princeton Wins EIVA Regular Season Title, Defeats Penn State 3-1

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UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. – In a strong team-wide performance, the Princeton men's volleyball team won the 2025 EIVA regular season title as they defeated Penn State, 3-1 (25-22, 25-27, 25-18, 25-23) on Friday night in Happy Valley.

With the win, Princeton claims the No. 1 seed for the EIVA Tournament, which will now be hosted in Dillon Gym next week on Wednesday, April 24 through Saturday, April 26.

Senior Nyherowo Omene led the Tigers with 19 kills. Fellow senior Henry Wedbush dished out 42 assists on the night.

Defensively, Ryan Vena led the Tigers with nine blocks including one solo. Roan Alviar and Omene each made a team-high eight digs.

How It Happened
Princeton and Penn State set the tone for the match immediately, entering set one with intensity. The Tigers found themselves down 10-15 by mid-set, when a kill by Omene set off a 7-1 run for Princeton to take the lead. With two big blocks and a kill by Vena, plus another kill from Omene, Princeton dominated the latter part of the set, taking it 25-22.

Set two was close as the Tigers trailed the Nittany Lions by two points through a majority of the set before tying it up at 18 with a chance to claim the set. Then going point-for-point, Princeton and Penn State tied eight times as they inched closer to set point, with the Nittany Lions ultimately claiming it 27-25 to tie the match.

Looking to reclaim the lead in set three, Princeton came out strong - building a lead early at 5-4 that they would extend and maintain through the set. With Omene making five kills in this set and Rice adding another four, the Tigers cruised to a 25-18 set over the Nittany Lions to lead 2-1.

In set four, Princeton looked to clinch not only the match, but the EIVA regular season title and the chance to bring the tournament to their home court. That win wouldn't come easily though, as Penn State fought to force a fifth set. In total, set five would have nine ties and two lead changes as neither side could build a lead until mid-way through the set when the Nittany Lions led 14-10.

Penn State held onto that lead through 21 points, when the Tigers, who trailed at 16, began to chip away at the deficit. With two more kills by Omene and a huge ace by Vena, Princeton went on a 5-0 run to tie the set at 21.

The Nittany Lions added another point before Princeton equalized again with a huge block by Ethan Wells, Rice and Omene. It was the Tigers who would take the lead here on out, handling business as another pair of Omene kills closed out the set 25-23, handing Princeton the win in Happy Valley.

Of Note

The EIVA Tournament will return to Dillon Gym for the first time since 2019, when Princeton won the tournament by defeating Penn State in the final.
The win marks Princeton's first victory over Penn State since 2022, when the Tigers took the EIVA Championship in University Park.

Up Next
Princeton will close out regular season competition with another match against the Nittany Lions at 3 p.m.

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