The long and winding road to the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association championship goes through Penn State in more ways than one. The Nittany Lions are hosting this year's EIVA tournament and are the odds-on favorites to win it all after posting a perfect 14-0 league record.
Before the Tigers can worry about the Nittany Lions, they will have to take care of business against Concordia (11-15 overall, 7-7 EIVA), a team Princeton (13-11, 8-6) is all too familiar with.
"Our team feels confident about our upcoming match," senior middle hitter Scott Dore said. "We've given Concordia two good matches already this year, so we know that we can win games against them."
The Tigers narrowly missed out on hosting the opening round game of the tournament, but instead will have to travel to New York for a showdown with the fourth-seeded Clippers.
The previous encounters between the two teams resulted in Tiger losses. The first loss came at home Feb. 14 by the score of 3-1, as the the Clippers dominated throughout most of the match.
The second clash was Mar. 3 and not nearly as lopsided. Princeton lost, 3-2, on the road after winning the first two games. The defeat was a real heartbreaker for the Tigers, given that they were on the verge of sweeping Concordia in the third game before things went south. The end result was a tough overtime loss that left Princeton with a bitter taste in its mouth.
On Saturday night, the Tigers will head into its match knowing they can play with the Clippers, as long as their focus remains constant.
"It takes more than a few games to win a match, so we must maintain our level of play and intensity throughout," Dore said. "This game is so much about momentum, so if we come out expecting to make plays and compete at a higher level, then we have a great chance on Saturday."
Revenge is often the best motivation a team can have, and Princeton would like nothing more than to end Concordia's season in front of the Clipper faithful.
It is fitting that the entire men's volleyball season should come down to one match with Concordia, since the Clippers are one of the Tigers' biggest rivals.
Heading into this season, Princeton figured it would have to jockey with Concordia for playoff position, and such was the case this year.
The Tigers and Clippers finished the regular season tied for fourth in the EIVA Tait division, and the tiebreaker was determined by head-to-head victories, giving Concordia the edge and the coveted fourth seed.
The playoff picture did not materialize until last weekend when the Clippers defeated St. Francis in a thrilling five-game match, and Princeton fell to Penn State. In many regards, the two teams are a lot alike and have had similar success in the league this season.Princeton will definitely have its hands full on Saturday seeing that the Clippers are a playoff-tested team. Concordia is seeking to reach the EIVA Final Four, while the Tigers are looking to advance past the first round for the first time in years.
For obvious reasons, motivation will not be a problem for the Tigers. Just ask Dore.
"I don't want this to be my last volleyball game and I know all of the seniors feel the same way."
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