Men's Volleyball: Playoff run begins with high hopes

Just two weeks ago, the men’s volleyball team was on the verge of being eliminated from the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association playoffs. A hard-fought season was coming down to a race to the playoffs in the last two games, and Princeton’s future seemed uncertain.

The team went on to show the league why no one ever should have doubted them. The Tigers (13-9 overall, 5-5 EIVA) enter the playoffs as the second seed, their highest seeding ever.

They also enter with the league’s Top Newcomer of the Year, freshman offensive hitter Pat Schwagler, and the Ivy League Head Coach of the Year, Sam Shweisky. Shweisky has been at the center of one of Princeton’s most successful volleyball seasons yet, but he said that the team’s recent success provides no guarantees.

The last two weeks of league play saw a frantic scramble for playoff seeding in which no team other than Penn State was assured of even making it into the playoffs. As it stands now, Princeton’s second seeding will not make the early going much easier than it would have been otherwise.

“One match decided the difference between the second seed and the fifth seed, and the top Hay [Division] teams are very strong, so I would say yes, all the teams in the playoffs are worthy opponents,” Shweisky said.

On the other hand, nobody wants to play Penn State, a perennial contender for the national championship. From that point of view, Princeton is in the perfect position.

“I think that having the second seed is the perfect place to be and exactly where we had hoped to be from the outset of the season,” Shweisky said. “Being second seed gives us the opportunity to host the first round of the EIVA quarterfinals and stay away from the red-hot Rutgers team. It also keeps us in the opposite side of the bracket from Penn State, which is very advantageous.”

The team has depended on the depth and versatility of its starting lineup all season, but in order to win the whole thing, the team will need something more. The senior captains — outside hitter Carl Hamming and middle blocker Jeff McCown — provide the main leadership for the team, but the underclassmen will also be expected to continue making significant contributions come playoff time.

“Throughout the season, [sophomore] setter Scott Liljestrom has found the hot hitters of the night, and I can see our freshmen stepping up big in the playoffs,” Hamming said. “[Freshman middle blocker] Michael Dye has just recovered from an injury and looked good in our last match at Rutgers. And Shwaggs has been a go-to kind of guy all season.”

McCown will also be a key player in the effort. The squad always aims to to take the offensive quickly in all of its matches, and McCown’s improved serving over the past few weeks has provided the team with a lethal weapon for sideout volleyball.

“I can see Jeff being an X-Factor,” Hamming said. “As long as we pass well, Jeff is unstoppable.”

The bench could play an extremely valuable role for the team, too. They have been a driving force all year, and with so many matches in quick succession against such different teams, many of the players will need some relief.

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“The bench has done a tremendous job all season long, pushing the starters in practice as well as coming into key matches and getting huge wins throughout the year,” Shweisky said. “The playoffs are do-or-die, so we will be using every strategy to stay in the hunt for the championship. We have a lot of guys who are ready to step up and play a big role when needed.”

When the time comes for the matches, though, the team is confident that it has what it takes to advance. The Tigers’ depth has been their greatest strength throughout the season, so they will be depending on their players to come in and contribute whenever necessary.

“We have so many good hitters. It’s just a matter of who catches fire and who the other team is unable to stop,” Liljestrom said.

The team will open the tournament against Sacred Heart this weekend.

The Pioneers are led by right side Roger Parent, who averages 3.22 kills per set on a .245 attack percentage. Outside hitter Kalani Efstathiou brings considerable size to the table at 6 feet, 7 inches, and leads the team with a 3.3 kills per set average.

If Princeton wins, it will face the winner of the match between George Mason and Rutgers-Newark. Whoever they face, the Tigers looked primed for their best showing yet.