Don't stand on the tracks when the train is coming.
Someone needs to remind Harvard (4-10 overall, 3-1 Ivy League) and Dartmouth (7-8, 1-3) of that as each must face the streaking Princeton women's volleyball team (9-5, 2-1) in matches this weekend. The Tigers will play both games on the road — at Dartmouth on Friday and at Harvard on Saturday.
"They've got the home court advantage," head coach Glenn Nelson said, "and that always makes it a little tougher."
That advantage may be offset by the momentum the Tigers come in with. Princeton has won three straight in the past week and is looking better than it has looked all year. An easy win last Wednesday against St. Francis was followed by convincing victories over Ivy League rivals Brown and Yale on Friday and Saturday, respectively. Out of 11 sets last week, the Tigers lost only two — one on Friday and one on Saturday.
This recent dominance has been the result of a solid defense and a hard-hitting offense. With four girls averaging near double-digits in kills and sophomore setter Jenny Senske providing assists, the offense has improved dramatically over the past weeks.
"We're really starting to gel as a team," junior outside hitter Ashley Brown said. Brown averaged over 11 kills per match last week.
The Princeton offense will just try to keep on doing what they've been doing. Junior middle blocker Alex Brown has been effective at attacking the net and has had double digit kills in each of the last three games. Sophomore outside hitter Lauren Grumet has led the offense the past two games with a combined 34 kills.
The Tigers, coming in with a 2-1 league record, may be the favorite against Dartmouth on Friday. Still, the Big Green's feisty offense could pose a problem for Princeton, which has beaten Dartmouth the past four meetings.
"Hopefully we won't have any trouble adjusting," Nelson said.
If the past week was any indication, they'll be just fine.
The Tiger defense has been strong throughout the year, but showed its greatest stuff last week. Freshman outside hitter Jenny McReynolds leads the defensive attack, averaging 18 digs in each of the last two victories. She's not alone though. Three of her teammates are averaging near double digits in digs, providing the consistency that will frustrate a less-efficient Dartmouth team. Princeton will mostly focus on shutting down Brown's senior outside hitter Kainoa Filklowski, an all-around player who can impact the game in many ways. Blocking will be essential.
The Big Green recorded their first Ivy League win over a struggling Columbia team last week. Their 1-3 Ivy League record includes losses to two of the league's top teams, Harvard and Cornell. The challenge for Princeton is not to look past Dartmouth, which plays better than what its record suggests.
Saturday's game at Harvard may be the toughest test yet for the Tigers. The Crimson, tied with Princeton in the Ivy League standings, always bring their best against their academic rivals. The teams split their two matches last season.
Defense will once again be at a premium against an athletic Crimson team that is very capable of putting points on the board. Harvard's junior outside hitter Kaego Ogbechie, the reigning Ivy League Player of the Year, makes Harvard one of the most powerful teams in the league. Ogbechie, who will be playing in only her third match of the season because she has been out due to injuries, recorded 23 kills last year in Harvard's defeat of the Tigers. Containing her will be a difficult task for the Tigers, though coach Nelson is optimistic.
"If we get kills and defense, we should be okay," Nelson said. "Irregardless, it will be a good match."
This weekend's matches will start to separate the conference leaders from the rest of the pack. Two wins this weekend would establish the Tigers as one of the top teams in the league. It would also set up a showdown against league-leader Cornell the next week. Every conference game is important in the Ivy League, as the race for the title is wide-open with many talented teams in the hunt.
"Anybody can beat anybody on any given night," Nelson said.
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