"Fall seven times, stand up eight" — Japanese proverb
Since the beginning of its season two weeks ago, the women's volleyball team has had to overcome a host of difficulties, problems which have resulted in a 3-3 record that does not accurately reflect the potential of this squad. Still, the Tigers would do well to reflect on the ancient wisdom above, since it is how they respond to their early season struggles and not the individual problems themselves that will determine how the rest of the year proceeds.
To be fair, even 3-3 is not necessarily a record to be disappointed with at this point. While Princeton has plenty of potential, it was forced to play its first two weekends against teams a third of the way into their seasons thanks to the University's late start date. Senior star outside hitter Kellie Cramm's battle with mononucleosis didn't help either, forcing the team to play without her at one point and then adjust to her return at another. It's been a struggle, but not an entirely fruitless one.
"We started the year against teams with eight games under their belt, then played our second weekend against teams with 12," head coach Glenn Nelson said. "So am I happy we're not 0-6 right now? Yeah! But we could just as easily be 5-1."
Indeed they could be as, even with their struggles, the Tigers have dropped matches that were within their grasp. Particularly irking was last weekend's closer against Colgate, a team Princeton could have wiped the floor with under normal circumstances. Fatigue from two earlier matches and inexperience combined, however, as the Tigers watched a 2-0 lead turn into a 3-2 defeat to this lesser squad. This weekend represents the team's last chance to gain that much needed experience, as the Ivy season begins next Friday.
Final warm-up
On Saturday, Princeton will begin play at the Juniata Invitational, squaring off with four other schools over the course of the weekend —Rochester Institute of Technology (8-6), Franklin & Marshall (10-9), Seton Hill (7-6), and host Juniata (11-0). This is one case where the records tell it like it is, with Juniata posing the most serious challenge.
The match against Juniata will be by far the most important one of the weekend, and not only because of the rivalry between the two schools. The unbeaten Eagles are the top-ranked team in Division III volleyball and are fresh off having spanked two contenders to that crown. Just to insure that they'll be riding nice and high heading into their home invite, the American Volleyball Coaches Association saw fit to name Juniata's opposite hitter, Katie Charles, Division III's National Player of the Week for her recent success. Princeton will seek to take Juniata down a notch, but it won't be easy. The loss of his hard-hitting seniors from last season has left Nelson with a defensively talented but less aggressive team.
"At this point, we can pretty much count on the other teams being more physical," Nelson said. "They're going to jump higher, hit harder, but we've gotta find a way."
Still, even at this early point, Nelson gave good cause for hope. "[Freshman outside hitter Jenny] McReynolds is maybe the best defensive player we've ever had here," he said. "Our defense gives our offense plenty of chances."
If the Tigers can only convert the hard work they put in on defense into some kills, Juniata will be in trouble.
Other challenges
Of the other teams, Franklin & Marshall appears the most likely to cause the squad problems. The Diplomats, blessed with a nickname that is a sportswriter's dream, will serve as a good barometer of how far the team has come. All things considered, they shouldn't be able to negotiate their way into taking a win from the Tigers.
Seton Hill, though scrappy, plays in the National Assocation of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), where competition is far less stiff than in NCAA Division I. Though this means less in volleyball than, say, football, look for a confident Tiger victory here.
That leaves only RIT, a team about which coach Nelson confessed, "I know nothing."
The only big-name team the Tigers of Rochester have faced is New York University, which has taken only nine games to defeat the Tigers three times so far this year. Though Nelson will be spreading around the minutes and resting Cramm both here and in the Seton Hill game, Tiger fans should once again look forward to a good chance at victory.
The action begins Friday at Juniata in Huntington, Pa.
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