This Saturday, Sept. 24, the women’s volleyball team will travel to Penn for its first Ivy League Conference match of the season. The Tigers, who are coming off a Rutgers Tournament title, will look to clinch the Ivy League opener as they eye a second straight Ancient Eight title.
Making the match even more interesting is the history behind the two teams. This is the 15th straight year that the Tigers (6-3 overall) will be opening the season with a match against the Quakers (5-7). The teams have split their last two matchups, moving the all-time series record to 55-36 in favor of the Orange and Black.
While the Tigers are coming off a historic season, they will have plenty to watch out for this year as they face off against the Quakers. Indeed, Penn is an impressive 4-1 at home this season and will surely take advantage of home court. In addition, the Quakers also boast an impressive roster including two players in the top five of the Ivy League in terms of total kills.
The Quakers are also coming off a victory of their own, having beaten the University of Delaware Blue Hens 3-1 this past Tuesday. In particular, Penn’s Sydney Morton proved to be a challenging foe as she notched nine kills, 48 assists, and 10 digs for a near triple-double.
However, the Tigers, who are on a four-game winning streak, seem to have reestablished last year’s rhythm and chemistry. The Princeton squad managed to sweep past the Rutgers tournament, never dropping more than single set to any of its opponents.
Senior co-captain Cara Mattaliano has spearheaded the offense of the Tigers so far. Mattaliano recorded back-to-back double-doubles in her matches against Rutgers and Seton Hill. This included a remarkable 20-kill, 17-dig performance against Seton Hill. She also leads the Ivy League with 3.42 kills per set.
Another notable performance came from sophomore setter Claire Nussbaum, who recorded 32 assists against Rutgers and ranks second in the Ivy League in assists per set. The class of 2020 also played a pivotal role as freshman setter Jessica Harris tallied 50 assists against Seton Hill and her classmate Maggie O’Connell had 12 kills.
More importantly, the Tigers have been playing efficiently as a team. Currently, the Princeton squad ranks first among its Ivy rivals in hitting percentage (.245) and second in kills per set with 13.42. The team has also benefitted from younger players who have stepped up to fill the roles left empty by graduation.
Although the Tigers capped off a historic season with their late comeback, the Princeton squad will be looking to capture the Ivy League title in a more traditional manner this year. Undoubtedly, the Tigers will try to avoid the 0-3 deficit from last year by starting the Ivy League Conference with a win.
While it will be difficult to win at the Palestra, the Tigers have shown time and time again that they can beat the odds. Moreover, their recent string of victories seem to show the Princeton squad has found its rhythm and is ready for the challenge of the Ivy League.
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