Men's Volleyball Falls to FDU, 3-0

Friday, February 20

Teaneck, N.J.

2:00 PM

Princeton University

2-7,0-3EIVA

FDU

5-4,0-0NEC

Princeton

FDU

February 20, 2026 | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

HACKENSACK, N.J. – The Princeton men's volleyball team fell 3-0 (21-25, 20-25, 23-25) to FDU on Friday afternoon in Hackensack.

Owen Mellon led the Tigers with nine kills for .222 hitting. Ethan Wells was behind him, tallying seven kills with one error of 10 swings for .600.

Defensively, Tristan Whitfield and Andrew Werner each added two block assists each, while Roan Alviar and Mellon each tallied five digs.

How It Happened
After a back-and-forth first few points, FDU took the lead in set one with an early 4-0 run. Leading 9-6, FDU continued to maintain the lead. With three kills from Mellon and two from Andrew Werner, the Tigers tried to narrow the deficit and came within one at 20-19, but they would not tie it again and FDU ran away with set one, 25-21.

The Tigers led for the first part of set two, with kills from Bobby Bennett and Werner putting them up three at 7-4. Answering with a 3-0 run, though, FDU was able to tie it up at seven, leading to a five-point even run as both sides struggled to find an advantage.

Making a 5-0 run on Tiger attack errors, FDU took the lead midway through the set. The Tigers answered with five consecutive points of their own, with Wells and Mason Rice making two kills apiece to tie it up at 17-17. FDU narrowly regained the lead, running away with the set late with four unanswered points to take it, 25-20.

Set three was close with four lead changes and no side taking an advantage greater than three points. Tigers were first to lead after kills by Wells and Kelly and an ace by Mellon. FDU tied it at six, going point-for-point with the Tigers before pulling away to lead 15-12.

The Tigers were able to climb back and tie it at 18 with Wells, Mellon and Whitfield contributing. With FDU still holding on to a narrow lead, Princeton fought to close the deficit and even knotted it at 22, but the Tigers fell just short as FDU took the set 25-23, and the match, 3-0.

Up Next
Princeton will return home to host Dominican at 4 p.m. next Saturday in Dillon Gym.