Women's Volleyball: Rudnick, Palmquist will lead Princeton against Harvard, Dartmouth at Dillon Gym

If the first two weekends of Ivy League play are any indication, the women’s volleyball team knows how to play from behind. Princeton (8-6 overall, 3-0 Ivy League) opened league play with a come-from-behind upset against defending Ivy League champion Penn and followed that five-set performance with a thrilling win over Brown that also went the distance. A 3-1 victory over Yale last weekend, which ended a two-year drought against the Bulldogs, propelled the Tigers to first place in league standings going into this third weekend of Ancient Eight play.

The test this weekend will not be whether the Tigers can play from behind, but whether they can play from ahead, as they are the only unbeaten team remaining in the Ivy League.

First up for the Tigers this weekend is Harvard (5-11, 2-2), which will bring a fiery squad to Dillon Gymnasium today at 7 p.m. The Crimson has a solid defense led by senior defensive specialist Miyoko Pettit and a strong freshman presence that includes middle blocker Teresa Skelly, who was recently named Ivy League Rookie of the Week.

“We anticipate a lot of fire from Harvard since they always play well against us and they have a very talented libero that anchors their defense,” head coach Jolie Ward said. “We need to target other players on the court so we can minimize her talents.”

Harvard’s only league losses so far have come against Dartmouth (12-3, 3-1), which will compete against the Tigers at Dillon on Saturday at 4 p.m. Dartmouth had a notable win this season over Rutgers, which beat the Tigers in a 3-0 decision in September. Despite beating Dartmouth in their two matches last season, the Tigers cannot underestimate the Big Green.

“Focus will be the critical element against Dartmouth,” Ward said. “They are a dangerous team because they believe in themselves and have proven that they can be successful. Keeping their key hitters out of the game will be extremely important.”

This weekend the Tigers will again look to sophomore sensation Lydia Rudnick, an outside hitter who picked up her second consecutive Ivy League Player of the Week honor after last weekend’s sweep of Brown and Yale.

While Rudnick has undoubtedly distinguished herself as a key player on this year’s team, Ward explained that both Rudnick and sophomore middle blocker Jennifer Palmquist rely on their defensive teammates for success.

“Lydia has done an outstanding job, but it has also been the determination of the defense ... that has [given] her opportunities,” Ward said. “Our two middles — Cathryn Quinn and Liz McStravick — will be extremely important, [as will] the distribution of sets by Michaela Venuti.”

The Tigers know they still have a lot of volleyball left to play, but there’s no denying that they are in an enviable position.

“We realize that all the teams in the Ivy League this year are really strong and that the title is really up for grabs,” Palmquist said. “We need to be prepared to fight.”