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Men's volleyball kicks off redemptive spring season

After a disappointing season last year, the men’s volleyball team was looking for answers. The Princeton squad struggled at home, limping to a 1-8 home record and a 4-10 Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) conference record. Despite a respectable roster and many notable performances from All-EIVA team captain Devin Stearns ‘16, the team managed just four wins amid stiff competition.

While the season was undoubtedly a sour one, the Tigers managed to end the year on a high note with a close win over Sacred Heart. After dropping their first set, the Tigers quickly rebounded to win the next two. SHU would come back to tie the game at two-all, leaving the match to a decisive fifth set.

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However, the Orange and Black would soon show their resilience in this tough moment. With the match up for grabs late in the final set, Stearns would record the final kill of his career to give the Tigers a 13-12 edge over Sacred Heart. Although SHU would respond with a point of their own, a Sacred Heart hitting error would ultimately seal the game as a win for the Princeton side.

As the new season begins, the Tigers will undoubtedly be looking to redeem themselves on the court. Already the Princeton squad has shown that it has the resilience of last year’s group, going head-to-head against some of the top ranked teams in the country. However, this year, the Princeton team is also motivated by last year’s struggles, giving the squad an extra boost of motivation as the team aims to recapture an EIVA playoff position.

“I think we all have a bad taste in our mouth after our performance last year, but it is a constant reminder that we use to push ourselves everyday both in practices and games” said junior outside hitter Kendall Ratter.

While it is still early in the season, the Tigers have already shown plenty of promise. The Tigers recently split a doubleheader against EIVA heavyweights Penn State and Saint Francis. In their EIVA debut, Princeton managed to score an impressive victory over last year’s EIVA finalist, Saint Francis, in a tight five set victory. Following that impressive performance, the team then forced a fifth set against a strong Penn State team. Penn State currently sits at the of the EIVA table with a perfect 3-0 start.

Perhaps an auspicious sign for the season to come, Princeton’s latest performance surely shows the large strides the team has already made to reaching their goals. Still, the Tigers are eager to continue improving as they look to integrate the younger members of their squad into the lineup.

The Princeton squad graduated four seniors last year including senior captains Devin Stearns ‘16 and Michael Bagnell ‘16, Zach Shaw ‘16, and Alex Schindele-Murayama ‘16. The team has undoubtedly felt the hole left behind after graduating key several key players. Indeed, the Princeton squad struggled to fill this gap in their new roster as they tried to find their rhythm in their preseason matches.

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The Tigers added four freshmen this season: outside hitters Parker Dixon and Greg Luck, middle blocker George Huhmann, and setter Shane Gooding. Already the four have made a sizable impact on the team. Indeed, in Princeton’s win over Saint Francis, Huhmann and Dixon combined for 17 kills and six blocks apiece. Luck added an additional 19 kills to the Princeton effort, tying his career-high.

“All of the freshmen are very talented players, and the biggest thing for them right now is to play with confidence,” Ratter said. “Huhmann has been particularly dominant in the middle and will play a big role in our coming matches.” Still, it may take some time for the team to adopt to a new core of players and return to their usual fluid play.

Although it is still early in the season, it seems that fans of Princeton volleyball will have plenty to look forward to in the coming months. With a new roster, fresh motivation, and remarkable resilience, the men’s volleyball team seemed poised to continue their improvement over the season.

However, the team will have plenty of challenges ahead of them if they hope to grab a coveted EIVA playoff position. The Tigers’ next three games will all be against conference opponents, including a match against Ivy rivals Harvard. These games will be a harsh test of the team’s improvement and grit this season.

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