Volleyball: Princeton ‘grinds’ out a win against Hall

Princeton was spinning its wheels against rival Hall in the second set of Thursday night’s Three Rivers East volleyball match at Prouty Gym.

The Tigresses trailed 21-16, before rallying to score the final nine points of the game to take the match 25-22, 25-21.

PHS junior middle hitter Morgan Foes said it was all about coming together as a team.

“One of our biggest things is mentality and pushing through as a team is one of the best things that we can. Focusing on our roles and having discipline and building each other up,” Foes said. “I think we know we can always do it. It’s just a matter of physically pushing through tonight and we did that tonight.”

PHS coach Andy Puck said it’s nice to win a match when you’re not playing your best.

“We grinded and that was the word for the night. We didn’t play our best by any means,” he said. “But your starting setter goes down after, what point 2? Caitlyn (Meyer) came in and did a great job. We were just a tick off everywhere, back row struggled a little bit passing free balls which doesn’t make a new setter comfortable.

“You know, sometimes you play well, sometimes you don’t. And tonight, we didn’t play well, but were able to figure out ways to score enough points to win.”

Senior middle hitter Jennifer Casford tipped for a Hall sideout, Cecelia Verucchi served for an ace and Liliana Heredia scored with a block to get the Red Devils going in the second set. PHS was then whistled for a lift and a net violation to stake the Red Devils to a 14-8 lead.

Two straight stellar defensive plays dug up the ball for Hall to go up 21-16 with the end game in sight.

However, the Red Devils (4-16-1, 0-8) would not score again.

PHS (7-10, 6-2) sided out with a 4-hit violation to make 21-17. Junior libero Miyah Fox served out the final eight points, helped with two hits and a push by Olivia Gartin to give the Tigresses their first lead of the game at 22-21.

Two hitting errors by Hall made it 24-21 before one push shot by Gartin just over the net ended the match at 25-21.

“Last match against them we won, so we knew they would be a different team and push us as hard as they could. It was just matter of us sticking together, playing together and coming back to beat them,” Foes said.

“They serve the ball really well and we were playing from behind the whole second set. It was one of those who wants to grab it and take it,” Puck said. “Luckily, we were able to take a break and grab it and take it.

While it was one of their best matches of the year, Hall coach Carolyn Bryant said, the Devils were still unable to finish once again.

“That’s been our problem the whole year, finishing games. We’re still trying to work on that mental toughness of finishing and making plays at crucial times,” she said.

Otherwise, Bryant said, “Our defense was just phenomenal. They tipped everything. Our serving was pretty much on. We just had to make some plays and we didn’t.”

The Tigresses had to overcome the loss of starting setter Natasha Faber-Fox on the second point of the first game and again spun their wheels a bit. With Caitlyn Meyer (22 assists) taking over as the full-time setter, the Tigresses begin to find their groove.

Back-to-back kills by the two Morgans, Richards and Foes, gave PHS the tie at 12-12. A hit by Isa Ibarra from the back made it 16-12.

Sophomore Kelsea Klingenberg (6 points) served an ace to give PHS a 21-15 edge. Hall tied the game at 22-all on three hitting errors by PHS.

The Tigresses sided out and Fox, as she did the second set, served out the PHS win with the final three points with kills by Gartin and Richards.

Gartin finished the night with 12 kills and 11 digs while Fox had 13 points and 11 digs and Ibarra had 10 points, two aces and six digs.

• Notes: Princeton swept the underclass matches, winning the sophomore match 25-14, 25-18 and the freshmen 25-13, 25-12.