Men’s volleyball begin crucial home stand

Coming off wins against New Jersey Institute of Technology and University of California, San Diego, the Tigers play their first home games of the season this weekend. Hoping to extend their winning streak after early season losses, the Tigers (3-4 overall, 1-0 Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association) will face Harvard (5-3 overall, 1-0 EIVA) at 7 p.m. on Friday and Sacred Heart University (2-5 overall, 0-1 EIVA) at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

This weekend actually marks the beginning of a six-game home stand, extending until March 7, for the Tigers. The home stand will be particularly crucial, as four of the six games will be against EIVA Conference foes. The team will try to win the championship this year after winning second at last year’s EIVA tournament in late April. The Tigers thirst for a more stable schedule after a difficult season beginning, with five of their seven opponents ranked in the top 15 in the NCAA.

The Tigers are optimistic, as senior outside hitter Cody Kessel and sophomore middle blocker Junior Oboh work to continue their remarkable seasons this weekend. Kessel currently leads the EIVA in kills per set and won Offensive Player of the Week at the beginning of the season. Supplementing the team, Oboh leads the conference in hitting percentage.

This weekend’s first match against Harvard promises the continuation of a never-ending rivalry between the two schools. Last year, Princeton trumped Harvard in the EIVA semifinal match, only fanning the flames for Saturday’s game. However, the Crimson present a much more formidable opponent this season. The team currently leads the EIVA conference and is the only conference team to rank in the top 15 of the NCAA, at No. 13. Furthermore, the Crimson brings in an even more impressive four-game winning streak, including wins over MIT and Sacred Heart University. As the only two Ivy League teams in the conference, the winner of the annual Harvard-Princeton game is said to take home the unofficial Ivy League trophy.

On a player-by-player level, the Harvard-Princeton match pits some of the conference’s best hitters against each other. Led by Oboh, four of the top five hitters in the conference originate from these two schools. The Tigers must also face Harvard’s White brothers, Casey and DJ, who lead the team in digs per set. Furthermore, Princeton’s offense will be put to the test as Harvard boasts three of the top five hitters in the conference.

In their second northeastern match of the weekend, the Tigers will face conference foe Sacred Heart, based in Fairfield, Conn. The Pioneers have struggled thus far in the season, ranked fifth out of seven in the conference. However, the team has showcased impressive performances from outside hitter Enzo Mackenzie, who’s 4thin the EIVA in kills per set, and setter Eduardo Zardo, who leads the conference in assists.