Men's volleyball looks to avenge loss

When a team wins a couple of games in a row, the coach is usually feeling good, the players are all getting along, and fans start getting excited. When the winning streak reaches four or five games in a row, a buzz begins to surround the team, and a serious confidence begins to grow.

When a team wins seven games in a row, however, that confidence turns to resolve, and the buzz turns into talk of playoff success and winning trophies.

That's exactly what the men's volleyball team was talking about last weekend, when they traveled to Springfield, Mass. to try to win its eighth consecutive game.

A win against Springfield College would have put the Tigers in sole possession of third place in the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association's Tait Division, with games against the league's top two teams on the immediate horizon.

Princeton found itself in such a favorable position because of a dramatic, come-from-behind 3-2 victory over archrival Rutgers-Newark on Feb. 27. The win brought the Tigers into a tie with Rutgers for third place in the Tait.

Only perennial powerhouses Juniata and Penn State were ranked above the Tigers in the premier volleyball division in the Northeast, and Princeton was entering a four-game stretch in which it would be the favorite in every match-up. If the Tigers could take care of business in those four games, their confidence would have been at an all-time high for match-ups against Penn State and Juniata on back-to-back afternoons at the end of March.

However, a win at Springfield was not in the cards for the Tigers. Last Thursday, the team's setter and cornerstone, senior setter Jason Liljestrom, went down with a sprained wrist and was unable to play Saturday against the Pride.

Without their leader, the Tigers fell apart, losing to Springfield in straight games. The 3-0 loss put a damper on Princeton's playoff hopes and snapped their season-high winning streak.

Fortunately for the Tigers, they won't have to wait long for a chance at redemption. Springfield comes to town tomorrow to play Princeton in Dillon Gym. This time, Liljestrom will be back, and the Tigers should have their best offensive game on display. Home court advantage will also help the Tigers, who seem to play their best in front of their passionate fans. Princeton is undefeated at home this season.

Nonetheless, Springfield will make for an especially tough opponent. In addition to the psychological advantage of its recent victory, the Pride is accustomed to playing winning volleyball. Springfield was formerly in the Hay division of the EIVA, which ranks just below the Tait in quality but earned an upgrade to the top division through its consistent dominance in the Hay.

Springfield has already proven it belongs in the Tait by defeating league mainstays St. Francis, 3-2, and George Mason, 3-1, in addition to the 3-0 victory over Princeton. In fact, the last two times the Tigers have met the Pride, Springfield has rolled to 3-0 victories.

This time, however, with the home crowd on their side and Liljestrom returning to the lineup, the Tigers promise to put up a much tougher fight. The game will be played tomorrow at 5 p.m. in Dillon Gym.