The women’s volleyball team bowed out to Penn yesterday evening on Senior Night in a hard-fought match that typified its Ivy League season this year. Against the Quakers (13-12 overall, 8-6 Ivy League), as throughout the race for the Ivy League championship, the Tigers (16-10, 12-2) showcased gritty comebacks and gutsy plays but ultimately came up just a little short.
Fittingly, senior middle blocker Liz McStravick had a career night as she finished with 14 kills in her final match as a Tiger. She was joined by senior defensive specialist CC Lobben, who, along with junior libero Hillary Ford, anchored a strong Princeton defense that registered over 100 digs on the night. The match was also the last for senior defensive specialist Carola Hernandez.
Princeton played from behind for the entire first set, which the Tigers dropped 25-22. The score tightened up considerably in the second set, with neither team up by more than three points. A kill by McStravick put Princeton ahead 22-19, but the Quakers tied the score at 23 with a service ace. Princeton ultimately took the second set on a kill by junior middle blocker Cathryn Quinn and a tip by sophomore outside hitter Lydia Rudnick.
Carrying momentum into the third set, the Tigers broke ahead to 8-3 with kills by freshman outside hitter Chelsea Parker, junior setter Michaela Venuti and McStravick. Princeton maintained its five-point lead until 18-13, when the Quakers mounted a nine-point run that left Princeton staring down its own five-point deficit at 23-18.
The Tigers were up to the challenge, however, as they answered with a strong serving sequence by Ford and kills by Parker, Rudnick and sophomore middle blocker Jennifer Palmquist. Two kills by Quinn put the Tigers ahead 2-1. Tensions mounted in Dillon Gymnasium as the Tigers opened the fourth set, only one game away from denying Penn a share of the Ivy League title with Yale.
Down 18-14, Quinn found holes in Penn’s defense with two crafty tips to help Princeton to 20-19. An error by Penn tied the score at 23-23. The points that followed were some of the longest of the match, as players from both teams leapt into the stands to track down stray passes and frequently ended points sprawled on the gym floor.
The Quakers earned the first game point of the fourth set, but Rudnick quickly dismissed the opportunity with a kill for 24-24. Penn’s deflection of a kill by Parker landed out as Princeton gained its first match point. After a McStravick kill dropped just centimeters past the back line, the Tigers regrouped with another kill by Parker to earn their second match point.
After three match points for Princeton, the Quakers stunned the Tigers and took the fourth set 29-27. The Tigers would earn yet another match point at 14-13 in the fifth and final game, but Penn dismissed Princeton’s advantage as it had the previous three.
Penn needed just one match point to take the final set and the match 16-14. Though the Tigers had hoped to be playing for the Ivy League championship on Senior Night, Princeton nevertheless put together a solid season. The Tigers opened league play with a very impressive five-match win streak. With wins over both Yale and Penn, the co-Ivy League champions this year, Princeton will walk onto the court next year very hungry for its own title.
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