Tigers fine-tune in last pre-Ivy games

As the women’s volleyball team enters its final weekend of non-conference play, the Tigers are focusing on inching closer to perfection. Because once Princeton (4-2 overall) hits the court against its Ivy rivals, there will be no room for error if the Tigers wish to replicate last year’s spotless conference record.

“We just want to make sure that we are making progress from weekend to weekend,” senior outside hitter and captain Parker Henritze said. “So this weekend we should be playing the best we’ve played. The point of non-league games is for us to get a couple of matches under our belts so we can be more polished before the Ivy League.”

Remaining on top during this weekend’s tournament against Division III powerhouses Seton Hill (5-4) and Juniata (12-0), however, will be anything but easy.

The Seton Hill Griffins host the tournament and are Princeton’s first matchup of the weekend. While the Tigers have had a week-long hiatus from competition, Seton Hill steps onto the court with added confidence from its dramatic 3-2 win over Charleston on Tuesday.

The last time Princeton faced the Griffins was in 2005, and though the Tigers demolished Seton Hill, 30-20, 30-11, 30-25, three years ago, Princeton has struggled to produce that level of offensive power this season. Last weekend’s devastating 3-0 loss to Syracuse (7-8) showcased the Tigers’ offensive struggles, as they generated only a .038 team attack percentage and committed a slew of errors.

“Last weekend our hitting errors really killed us,” freshman middle blocker Cathryn Quinn said. “In volleyball the errors just really kill your momentum so improving on that this weekend will definitely help us limit runs by the other team.”

In spite of the Tigers’ disappointing offense against the Orange, several team members displayed a strong presence on the court and could help Princeton power through this weekend’s matches.

Junior outside hitter Sheena Donohue has recorded 65 kills this season and added a team-best 11 kills to propel Princeton to a 3-0 win over Colgate (4-8) last weekend. Despite boasting a roster stacked with powerful veterans, including Henritze, who leads the team in blocks and is a close second in digs, Quinn has been an unexpected bright spot in the lineup. At six feet, one inch, Quinn is the tallest on the team, and she used her height against the Raiders to add 10 kills and hit .500 in the match.

Every Tiger will need to be in top form, however, if the team is to take down the Eagles, who are a top-flight team in D-III. Juniata enters the tournament after completing a three-game sweep at a recent tournament, topping off its undefeated season.

The Tigers and Eagles are quite familiar with each other, having squared off every year for the past decade. While Juniata’s team may be No. 1 in D-III, Princeton can revel in having beaten the Eagles in the teams’ last two meetings. Last year’s matchup followed a difficult 3-2 victory over Penn, and despite winning the opening game against Juniata, 30-28, the Tigers struggled to maintain their lead. Though Princeton ended the match 3-1, it was a frighteningly close game, something the Tigers have come to expect against Juniata.

“When we beat Juniata a couple years ago, they were on their way to getting a D-III title, so they are definitely a powerhouse in their division,” Henritze said. “They are a great team, with great ball control. Like us, they are a smaller team, but it is always a really strong matchup, and they get really competitive.”

Princeton will have to step up its attack and consistency if it wishes to come away with a set of wins this weekend. But more important to the Tigers should be establishing some much-needed momentum before entering Ivy League competition where, after last year’s perfect Ivy outing, Princeton will most definitely have a target on its back.