In the first game of Friday's men's volleyball match in Fairfax, Va., George Mason reeled off the first five points of the game and fired a sharp blow to the head that sent the men's volleyball team reeling.
Princeton staggered through the remainder of the match, eventually succumbing in three straight games, 15-13, 15-11, 15-7. This was a match that the Tigers (8-7 overall, 4-1 Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Hay Division) let out of its grasp.
Streak snapped
The Tigers entered the match riding a two-match winning streak with convincing victories against overmatched New York and Harvard. Friday night, they were on the receiving end of some of the shots they had been doling out.
George Mason (7-4, 3-2 EIVA Tait Division) came out intense and ready to play. It strung off five straight points to begin the match, putting the Tigers in a big hole before they even touched the ball on the offensive side of the net. After battling back to tie the score at 13, Princeton faltered and dropped the game, 15-13.
The Patriots' stellar play in the crucial first game was headed by senior outside Mike Duckworth, who hammered down 17 of his 31 kills, and by junior setter Kriss Egilitis. Egilitis needed 34 set assists in order to break George Mason's school record entering the match, and finished the first game with just that. Egilitis recorded 71 assists on the night.
Princeton hit just .063 during the first game, while the Patriots put away 36 balls on 67 attempts for a .403 percentage.
The second game was more of the same, as the Tigers evened up the score at 10 before allowing the win to slip away.
"When it got down to the wire, they made big plays," sophomore setter Jason Morrow said. "A couple of big points went their way."
By the end of the third game, Princeton was merely going through the motions. Losing the first two hard-fought games had taken the wind out of the Tigers' sails.
Senior opposite Scott Birdwell was one of the few bright spots for the Tigers all evening, registering 24 kills and hitting a sizzling .465. Senior outside Jeff Cooper added 16 kills, while freshman outside Steve Cooper recorded 11.
The problems that factored in the loss to George Mason are the same problems that have plagued Princeton all season long.
No Leprechauns
"We are not making our own luck – plays that can turn the tide of a match," senior middle blocker Derek Devens said. "We expect too much and rely on teams to fold."
Princeton fell victim to its own unforced errors, giving George Mason ample room to capitalize on them. It becomes increasingly harder to be competitive when the team is not only battling its opponent, but also itself.
The Tigers are still waiting for "things to come together," Devens said. Princeton has yet to play a complete match against a strong opponent this season.
Princeton is on the brink of the climax of its season, with less than a month to go before the EIVA playoffs begin April 11. The countdown is on, and the Tigers are preparing to pounce. One final matchup against Eastern foe Penn State remains, but Princeton is running out of time to put its season together.
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