In a complete reversal of last year’s 0-3 Ivy League conference start, the women’s volleyball team have won their last three games in the Ancient Eight. The two latest victories came against Harvard (3-9, 1-2 Ivy) and Dartmouth (6-7, 0-3 Ivy), both of whom fell to the Tigers in three sets.
While last year’s squad did eventually rebound from their initial losses and go on to claim the Ivy League title, the 3-0 start puts the Tigers at the top of the table and in position to claim back-to-back Ivy League championships.
The Princeton squad started Friday with their home opener. Coming into the match with a five-game winning streak, the Tigers were confident and prepared to take on their Ivy rivals in front of a packed home crowd. And the Tigers did not disappoint, defeating Harvard handily, 3-0.
Throughout the match, the Tigers showed their offensive prowess, dominating all three sets: 25-20, 25-11, and 25-20. The Princeton team managed to hit .333 for the match, a testament to the most efficient offense in the Ivy League. Furthermore, the Orange and Black proved to be particularly consistent, conceding only six errors in the final two sets.
This was the perfect payback against the Crimson, who defeated Princeton for a bid in the NCAA tournament last year.
The Tigers continued their dominant showing by sweeping Dartmouth the next day. The Princeton squad won all three sets: 25-18, 25-16, and 25-19. Notable performances came from freshmen outside hitter Devon Peterkin, who registered a team-best 16 kills and 12 digs. Senior co-captain Cara Mattaliano also had a strong showing, contributing 14 kills and 12 digs to the win.
The win puts Princeton at first in the Ivy League alongside Columbia (8-5, 3-0 Ivy). The two teams, both 3-0, will play this coming Friday for the top spot in the Ancient Eight. This game also increases the Tiger’s winning streak to seven.
Last year, the Tigers defeated Columbia in both of their meetings, sweeping Columbia at home and beating the Lions, 3-1, to share the Ivy League title with Harvard.
However, Columbia carries a six-game winning streak into match with Princeton. This includes three wins in the Ivy League conference against Cornell, Brown, and Yale. The Lions have shown that they are a formidable opponent at home and will be a tough opponent for the rising Princeton squad.
Following their match with Columbia, the Tigers will travel to Ithaca to face off against Cornell. The Big Red has struggled as of late, losing all three of their Ivy match-ups so far. Having swept Cornell in their previous two encounters, the Tigers will be looking to recreate their past successes against their Ivy rivals.
With a chance to take the top spot in the Ivy League, the weekend promises a series of exciting and crucial matches for the Princeton squad as they reach for another Ivy title and an NCAA bid.
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