Women's volleyball sweeps Harvard, takes top spot in Ivy League

The women’s volleyball team added to its winning streak in the Ivy League with another pair of wins over Dartmouth and Harvard that put it in the top spot of the Ancient Eight. The Tigers hosted Big Green on Friday and faced the Crimson for sole control of first place. The Princeton team, now 5-0 in conference play, will look to continue this momentum as it travels to Cornell and Columbia next week.

The Tigers began their weekend showdown with Dartmouth. Although the Big Green managed to narrowly edge out the Orange and Black in the first set, the team showed its resilience and clawed back into the match. Powered by a career-defining performance from junior middle blocker Nnenna Ibe, the Tigers would claim the next three sets and the win.

Ibe recorded a career-high 17 kills. Perhaps more impressive was her efficiency. Ibe hit 0.762 on the night and has hit 0.500 or better in three of Princeton’s last six matches.

The Tigers would continue a strong performance as it faced Harvard for first place in the Ivy League standings. Despite the stakes, the pressure did not seem to faze the Princeton squad. The Tigers came out with two dominant sets, beating Harvard 25-12 and 25-13. Harvard tied Princeton two years ago and both teams shared the title.

The Crimson would push on the third set, tying the game at 16 apiece. However, the Tigers would respond, and consecutive kills by sophomore outside hitter Natasha Skov opened a 21-17 lead that Harvard could not overcome.

Princeton’s strong performance in the Ivy League this year is reminiscent of their 13-1 season when they claimed the league title. The Tigers seem to be in good shape to continue their momentum as they look for a third championship and a second trip to the NCAA in three years.

The season continues at Cornell this Friday, Oct. 13, as the Tigers look to remain the sole leaders in the Ivy League table.