The Nittany Lions (20-3 overall, 9-0 Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Tait Division) extended their season-long unbeaten streak in EIVA competition to nine games by beating the Tigers (7-8, 2-5) at home 30-20, 30-23, 30-27.
The loss makes qualifying for the playoffs a more daunting task for the Tigers. They are currently in sixth place in the seven-team Tait Division, and they cannot afford to drop to last if they want to qualify for the postseason.
Senior middle blocker Mike Vincent turned in a solid effort against Penn State, recording 13 kills, three aces and two blocks while hitting .556.
Even with the impressive performance from their All-East middle blocker, the Tigers could not muster a concerted attack against the Nittany Lions, as the team collectively hit only .176.
On the other side of the net, though, Penn State was ready for the Tigers. The defending champion hit .400 overall, with setter Edgardo Goas, who posted 38 assists on the afternoon, leading the Nittany Lion attack. Penn State middle hitter Max Holt kept the Tigers on their heels all day with his 11 kills.
Princeton’s senior setter, Brandon Denham, once again rallied the squad around his assists, picking up 34 alongside two blocks. Senior outside hitter Phil Rosenberg recorded six kills, while junior middle blocker Jeff McCown picked up nine. Rosenberg and senior outside hitter Ka’ohu Berg-Hee both led the team with five digs each.
In the first game, the Tigers were within five of the Nittany Lions as late as 9-4, but Penn State quickly pulled away to win by 10 points. The next game was not much better for Princeton, which at one point was down 13-3 before it cut the deficit to seven by the end of the game.
The last game of the night presented the Tigers’ best chance at a game win. Up 23-22, Princeton looked to surprise the Nittany Lions. The hosts refused to yield, though, reclaiming the lead behind two kills from outside hitter Jay Stauffer. Penn State did not look back, winning the game 30-27 and the match.
On Tuesday, the Tigers head to Manhattan to take on conference rival NYU (6-18, 2-3 EIVA Hay). The two teams squared off in February, when Princeton took a 3-1 decision.
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