Burns' return, Liljestrom keys to m. volleyball downing NYU at Dillon

At the end of a successful season, every good team can look back on one or two moments where it gelled and showed a flash of greatness. For the men's volleyball team, one of those moments came in the third game of its match with NYU on Wednesday.

The stage was set for a big moment when the mediocre Violets stole a game from the Tigers. Suddenly, the rowdy crowd at Dillon Gym had no choice but to raise the decibel level to new heights. Head coach Glenn Nelson, sensing that the tide was turning, called for star junior outside hitter Ryn Burns to limber up.

Burns had missed the last three weeks with a severely sprained right ankle, and his absence hurt the Tigers' consistency in losses to league rivals Juniata and Rutgers-Newark. Fortunately for the Tigers and their belligerent fans, the standout's ankle healed just in time for the team's home debut.

His return to the court fired up the fans even more, and the Violets began to wilt under the pressure of their hostile surroundings.

"When 'Spooner' [Burns] came back for the first time and started firing jump serves and playing all scrappy, the team really got it going," sophomore opposite Jack Pichard said after the match. "I think that was definitely the turning point of the night."

While Burns settled in to his first appearance on the court since January, the rest of the Tigers went on a run of spirited play that dealt the knockout blow to the visitors. Princeton's superior blocking game was the key to its success, as every Violet attempt to hit was sent right back at them.

Middle blockers junior Sean Vitousek and six-foot, nine-inch sophomore Brian "The Hammer" Hamming took pleasure in rejecting the tries of Violet hitters. As Pichard put it later, "In that third game, we were doming everybody like it was our job. They really couldn't even get the ball over the net."

When the Violets did manage to get the ball into Tiger territory, senior setter Jason Liljestrom and junior outside hitter Blake Robinson took over with their deft setting skills and wicked hits. Liljestrom, the Princeton captain, finished the match with an unbelievable 57 assists, and Robinson led all hitters with 24 kills. They teamed up in the third game to completely demoralize the overmatched Violets.

When the smoke cleared from the Tiger rally, NYU found itself on the receiving end of a brutal 30-13 whipping. The momentum of the third game was more than enough to carry Princeton to victory in the match, as they cruised to a 30-24 win in the fourth and final game.

It was a well-rounded effort for the Tigers, whose stars stood out on both offense and defense. Liljestrom led the team in digs and also recorded a team-high 12 assists, while junior middle hitter Sean Vitousek's eight blocks were also a game high. His swatting partner, "The Hammer," chipped in on the offensive end with 17 kills.

The victory extends Princeton's season-high winning streak to four games, and improves its overall record to 6-4. But the streak, while impressive, included only one victory over a league opponent. Princeton easily defeated rival St. Francis in three games last Saturday.

The Tigers will get another shot at a league win this Saturday when George Mason comes to Princeton. The Patriots promise to put up a bigger fight than NYU or league doormat St. Francis. Both the Patriots and the Tigers have serious postseason aspirations in the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association's Tait Division, but both teams have gotten off to slow starts in the league.

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Princeton's league record stands at just 1-2. Unfortunately for the Tigers, NYU does not play in the same division of the EIVA, so Princeton's victory on Wednesday won't count in the league standings. A win over George Mason on Saturday, however, would give the Tigers a 2-2 league mark and a leg up on the Patriots in the battle for home-court advantage in the quarterfinals of the playoffs.

History will work in the Tigers' favor on Saturday, as the 3-0 beating Princeton handed George Mason last season is still fresh in the minds of the Patriots. That game took place in George Mason's home gym, but the Tigers were unfazed by the noisy crowd as they swept to victory in straight games. Liljestrom, who led the way with 41 assists, and Robinson, who posted 11 kills, were two of the key players in last year's contest.

Robinson and Liljestrom are up to their usual tricks again this year, and their offensive prowess combined with the all-around skills of Burns, Vitousek, Hamming, and Pichard, the Tigers are beginning to look like a tough team to beat. They will be looking to continue their run of success on Saturday. The game with the Patriots will start at noon in Dillon Gym.