Men's Volleyball: Tuminelli shines, but hosts lose finale

Both teams started out on roughly even footing, but the Tigers took command of the set about halfway through. Building on a sequence of kills from Tuminelli and sophomore middle blocker Michael Dye, Princeton raced out to an 18-11 lead and captured the first set handily.

The team’s advantage seemed to crumble early in the second, though, as a series of errors from Princeton and strong play from Sacred Heart’s setter Tim Sadowski gave the Pioneers a 15-8 lead. Princeton setter John Morris matched Sadowski point for point, and the Tigers managed to battle back.

Behind Morris and Tuminelli, the Tigers took a 24-22 lead in the final moments of the set, and they looked poised to take the set and a 2-0 lead. Sacred Heart’s outside hitter Enzo Mckenzie took it upon himself to prevent that occurence, making two great offensive plays to bring it back to 24-24. Princeton finally caved, giving up two crucial errors that brought the set to a close.

The third set was similar to the second, but this time the Pioneers retained the early advantage, going up as far as 17-9. The only thing that kept the Tigers in it was the inspired play from Tuminelli. In the final match of his Princeton career, he had a hand in nearly every successful offensive sequence for the Tigers, particularly in this set, and he finished the game with a game-high 26 kills.

The fourth set was close initially, and the Tigers looked like they might have a chance to pull even in the game. Up 11-10, Sacred Heart then seized control of the set, winning five straight points to take a lead that they never relinquished.

The Tigers had one last run in them, willing themselves back to within two points of the Pioneers as they made the score 20-22. A pair of Princeton errors kept the Tigers from making it all the way back, and Sacred Heart held on for a 25-22 victory.

The team closes the season with a 3-19 overall record and a 1-9 record in the EIVA Tait Division — the Tigers’ least successful season since joining the division in 2001. Losing last year’s seniors gave the squad struggles from which it never successfully overcame.