Men's Volleyball: Penn State, St. Francis will provide stiff weekend test

The men’s volleyball team has seen some tense games and impressive comebacks that have assured fans that its endurance is unquestionable. Coming off a two-week break, the rejuvenated squad should have no difficulty continuing its string of comeback victories, having won four of its last five games. The Tigers will take on reigning Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association champion Penn State today in Happy Valley, followed by St. Francis on Saturday.

Princeton (7-5 overall, 3-1 EIVA) is led in kills by junior outside hitter Vincent Tuminelli, who averages 3.93 kills per set.

He is followed closely by freshman outside hitter Pat Schwagler, who has a 3.81 kills-per-set average. Schwagler, whose 31 kills helped the Tigers secure a 3-2 victory over Springfield, is also last week’s EIVA Player of the Week.

The Tigers will be tested by opposite Will Price, who leads the Nittany Lions (17-4, 8-0) with a 4.5 kills-per-set average. Sophomore setter Scott Liljestrom leads the way with assists, with a 13.38 assists-per-set average.

Princeton has the edge over its opponents in attack percentage — .328 compared to .316 — and has fewer errors, but the Tigers’ opponents have more kills — 707 to the Tigers’ 700.

Princeton currently sits in second place in the EIVA Tait Division behind Penn State, a position that the Nittany Lions would be happy to maintain.

This placement would secure the Tigers a spot in the playoffs and ensure they would not have to face first-ranked Penn State until the finals.

“We really have nothing to lose against Penn State,” Schwagler said. “We’re going to prepare and play our best, but they’re a pretty good team. If there’s going to be a time for us to beat them, it’s going to be in the EIVA finals. We’re focusing a lot more on St. Francis.”

Penn State wlll present a considerable challenge to the Tigers.

The Nittany Lions are 39-2 all-time against the Orange and Black, with Princeton’s last win against Penn State dating back to the 1988 EIVA tournament.

“We’re just going to focus on our side of the net: serving and passing. If we can pass the ball well, we should be able to do the best we can,” head coach Sam Shweisky said.

St. Francis (8-10, 1-4), which fell to the Nittany Lions 3-0 last Friday, has suffered four consecutive losses.

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Senior Jordan Varee carries the Red Flash with a 4.78 kills-per-set average.

“We beat them here when we played them here,” Schwagler explained. “They’re a really good team and they have home-field advantage, which always plays in. They have a really strong right side, and we’ve done a lot of scouting on them, so all that will work hopefully.”

And Schwagler is set to play a major part.

“I am really proud of what Pat has been able to accomplish in the past three weeks,” Shweisky said. “The exciting thing is that I think we have only scratched the surface of what Pat can do.”

“I think the key against St. Francis will be defense and serve received,” Schwagler explained. “We’ve been steadily getting better at serve received and I feel like the last time we played them they might have hit a little bit too high of a percentage against us.”

“They have two strong attackers, number 10 and number 9,” Shweisky said, referring to opposite Jordan Varee and outside hitter Nick Rivett of the Red Flash. “Those are the two guys we really need to slow down. We have focused a lot in practice on our left-side blocking.”

Following this weekend’s road trip, the Tigers will return to Dillon Gym and face George Mason in their final home game in the Tait Division on April 2.