Girls volleyball: Natasha Faber-Fox makes most of opportunity for Princeton against rival Hall

PRINCETON – Natasha Faber-Fox didn’t get to finish the match when Princeton played Hall at home last season after rolling an ankle.

The senior setter made the most of the opportunity to play the rival Red Devils on Tuesday, totaling 17 assists and 10 points to help the Tigresses post a convincing 25-11, 25-20 win in the Three Rivers East Conference opener at Prouty Gym in Princeton.

“I ended up hurting my ankle last year in the home game with Hall. So it feels good to be healthy and back,” Faber-Fox said. “I was definitely ready for it. I love playing Hall. I’ve played with some of the girls in travel, so it’s always good to [play] them after being on a team with them.”

The Tigresses are off to a 5-2-1 start this year and playing well with a mix of three senior starters with juniors and two sophomores.

“I think we have a good team this year,” Faber-Fox said. “It’s going really good, actually. I think it’s nice to have some younger perspectives and then people who have been on the team before, and they’re a little older.”

Faber-Fox said she talks to the sophomores “to see if they need anything different set-wise and work with that with them.”

Fresh off a 2-0 win over United Township of East Moline on Monday night, the Tigresses rolled out to a 11-2 lead in the first set. A 6-0 string pushed their lead to a 21-8, and Ellie Harp served out the final three points for the runaway opener.

Hall showed more life early in the second set, playing to a 11-all tie. Brucker sided out before Harp strung eight straight points for a 20-11 lead.

Hall coach Carolyn Foster was telling her girls to “stop giving them free balls” and “stop playing scared.”

“Sometimes, I don’t think they have that confidence in themselves. Can’t give it to them. They’ve got to get it themselves,” she said. “We just couldn’t [put] it together. I think sometimes when you go up against a rival, sometimes you shut down, and sometimes you light it up on fire.”

Two aces by Haylie Pellegrini brought the Devils within 20-15, but the Tigresses were able to hold serve.

While PHS coach Andy Puck said the Tigresses “played inspired” beating United Township last light, “we grinded tonight.”

“The game didn’t come to us as easy tonight as it did last night. But that’s a sign of a solid team, that you can find ways to win,” he said. “We had a few more unforced errors tonight. But that’s due to Hall forcing those on us, too. Hall’s an improved team.

“It’s just being disciplined at the net and being disciplined on defense, and a lot of things kind of take care of themselves.”

Puck said it was a nice way to win their conference opener.

“Hall’s a rival. First conference match. We’re at home. The student section was great. The fans were great,” he said. “We were home last night, but it was against UT, and there was a freshman football game going on [so some of the boys were missing]. Tonight was a better atmosphere. The girls like to play in that.”

Puck said it was even “cool” to see some of the football players in halter tops as part of their theme night.

Sophomore Caroline Keutzer led the Tigresses with seven kills, while Harp added four kills and 13 points. Senior libero Miyah Fox led the back row with 10 digs.

For Hall, junior Morgan Hoscheid had three kills. Senior Taylor Coutts added two kills. Coutts also had six points with an ace.

“Taylor lit up serving, and on the weak side,” Foster said.

Princeton swept the underclass matches, going three sets in the sophomore (25-20, 21-25, 25-20) and freshman (21-25, 25-21, 25-20) matches.