Princeton clobbers Seton Hill

In the end, the most remarkable thing about the match between the volleyball team and Seton Hill College was the fact that there was no remarkable, defining play that turned the game. Instead, the Tigers (11-5 overall, 2-3 Ivy League) produced a steady, consistent effort that belied their youth and led to a much-needed win against the Griffins (17-6).

Princeton's victory came on the heels of two 3-0 losses to Ivy League rivals Columbia (4-11, 2-3) and Cornell (12-3, 5-0). With the memory of those road defeats fresh in their minds, the Tigers came together upon returning home and dominated this match. The comforting confines of Dillon Gym saw Princeton put forth an extremely strong effort in a 3-0 win, with game scores of 30-20, 30-11 and 30-25.

The Tigers featured a well-balanced attack highlighted by two freshmen, outside hitters Sasha Sadrai and Parker Henritze. These rookies each recorded eight kills to pace Princeton's scoring, which featured seven players who recorded four or more kills. Seton Hill, in comparison, only had four players with four or more kills.

The Tiger offense's efficiency and balance fit with the game plan that head coach Glenn Nelson advanced prior to the contest.

"Coach Nelson could mix the lineup and even out playing time," Sadrai said. "[We had] a chance to run a quicker and more varied offense."

The speed of Princeton's offense made it difficult for the Griffins to send more than one blocker against any one hitter, which resulted in a lot of one-on-one opportunities for the Tigers. The team successfully converted these opportunities into kills, hitting a commanding .469 in the second game.

Senior setter Jenny Senske was the backbone of the offense, notching a game-high 39 assists along with four kills of her own. Senske had a hand in many key plays. Her service ace and assist on a kill by freshman outside hitter Sophie Schmidt provided the winning points in the first game, and she also provided the assist on the game's final play, a kill by sophomore outside hitter Emily Turner.

Meanwhile, junior libero Jenny McReynolds continued to demonstrate her role as the best libero in the Ivy League, leading the team with 17 digs.

This match, Princeton's last non-conference game, set a good tone for the Tigers' remaining Ivy League schedule, which will feature rematches against the Lions and the Big Red at home. The team feels confident heading into the final stretch.

"I think the win showed how dynamic the team can be," Sadrai said. "This game was a great pick-me-up, [which] reminded us how solid we can be. A boost of confidence is always appreciated before a tough Ivy weekend."

This game may also prove to be a defining moment in the season. The Tigers are an extremely young team, but the emergence of freshmen like Sadrai, Henritze (who leads the Ivy League in service aces and is second in kills) and Lindsey Ensign (who tops the Ivy League in hitting percentage) indicates that the team is learning how to play together and dominate together.