Princeton downs NYU despite loud crowd

Going into Tuesday night's match with NYU (10-14, 0-12 Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association), the men's volleyball team was feeling confident—after all, the Violets have been the worst team in the EIVA this year, and the Tigers (6-11, 4-7 EIVA) rolled over them in three straight games earlier this season.

When the Tigers arrived in Manhattan to face the Violets in the Coles Sports Center, however, they found themselves in a stressful situation, to say the least. The arena was packed with 682 loud, passionate NYU fans, and a live band was there to contribute to the chaos.

"It was pretty overwhelming, but it was a good competitive environment," sophomore outside hitter Peter Eichler said.

When the Tigers hit the floor for the first game, they found themselves up against a bit more than they had bargained for. The Violets lack an impressive record, but they have taken a couple games from Penn State and other top teams in the conference — Tuesday night, they were determined to take one from Princeton as well.

That is exactly what they did, as NYU took the first game from the Tigers in a drawn-out, back-and-forth struggle, by a score of 33-35. The electric environment in the arena seemed to overwhelm the Tigers, and their play was subdued and lacked the intensity they have shown earlier in the season.

"We were a little slow in the first game," Eichler said. "Going into it we had no energy. We were too complacent."

After the unexpected loss in the first game, however, the Tigers pulled together to pick up their intensity and take the next three games from the upstart Violets.

"After that first game, we got fired up and told ourselves it's time to take care of business," Eichler said.

The next three games, though close, were largely controlled by Princeton, who won by scores of 30-22, 30-24 and 30-28. The Tigers were led by senior Jack Prichard, who had 21 kills, and freshman Brandon Denham, who had an impressive 61 assists. Eichler and senior Ryn Burns each contributed 16 kills to help lead the strong Princeton attack.

The match against NYU reaffirmed Princeton's need to improve the defensive aspect of its game. Though the Tigers are offensively sound, they need to focus on protecting the net if they hope to progress in future years.

"We need to be a better blocking team to get those wins," Eichler said.

Their experience with NYU also revealed how crucial the Tigers' attitude is going into a match. When the Orange and Black begin to feel complacent, their play suffers. If they hope to win, they need to come out strong — they can't let their level of intensity slip.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

"Our biggest problem seems to be our energy level," Eichler said. "When that's alright, we have the potential to play really good volleyball."

This year's group of Tigers has been aided by a large number of freshman athletes, many of whom see substantial playing time. The freshmen, who make up eight of the 16 players on the roster, have done well to make the adjustment to collegiate play this season. Denham has made solid contributions all season and will be one of the key leaders in years to come.

"It was an awkward dynamic at first," Eichler said, "but they are a good group of guys and are going to make a good foundation for the years to come."

With two more days of practice before their final conference game against George Mason, the Tigers are looking to make the most of their time. That match will be held this Friday in Fairfax, Va., at 7 p.m.