Men's volleyball defeats NJIT in four, exacts revenge for tournament loss

After seeing its 1999 Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Tournament come to an end at the hands of New Jersey Institute of Technology, the men's volleyball team had revenge on its mind heading into last night's rematch at Dillon Gym. Behind a strong performance from junior middle Ryan Black, the Tigers finally erased the ghosts of that bitter defeat. Black killed 34 balls to power Princeton to victory.

Princeton (3-4 overall, 2-2 EIVA) prevailed in four games to even up its EIVA record. The Tigers lost the first game, 13-15, then rallied to win the next three, 15-12, 15-12, 15-11.

After a tough loss to Penn State last Friday, the team needed a confidence booster, and NJIT was the perfect opponent. Penn State exploited Princeton's weaknesses — its relative lack of height and power — but those were of little import last night at Dillon.

Senior setter Jason Morrow tallied 91 assists for the Tigers while digging 10 balls. Freshman middle Dennis Alshuler added 29 kills to the Tigers' total.

Last night's victory kicks off a four-match homestand for Princeton. The Tigers return to action this weekend, playing three matches in four days. Friday Southampton visits Dillon Gym at 7:30 p.m., followed by Juniata on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. Princeton takes on Springfield Monday at 7:30 p.m.

These matches will be critical for the Tigers in improving their EIVA win total, which ultimately determines their seed in the postseason tournament.