Box Score

Despite a record-tying night for senior captain Devin Zolnowski, the New York University men's volleyball team fell to Division I Princeton University for the second time time season on Tuesday, March 31, at the Coles Sports Center.

The Violets (6-19), who moved up one spot to #9 in the Bison/AVCA Division III Men's Coaches Top 15 Poll, played the first two sets close with the Tigers (8-8).  However, Princeton flexed its muscle in the final two sets to take the match 3-1 (30-27, 25-30, 30-19, 30-16).

In the first set, the Violets came out of the gate quickly to take a two-point lead at 10-8 off a Tigers' service error.  However, six points later, the NYU lead evaporated as a Princeton kill tied the set at 12.  After trading the next four points,ts the Tigers went on three-point run to force the Violets to take a timeout at 17-14.

The timeout appeared to do the trick as the Violets quickly narrowed the deficit to one at 19-18 off a kill from Zolnowski.  However, the Tigers responded successfully, taking four of the next five points for a 23-19 advantage, their largest of the set. 

Down the stretch, NYU once again attempted to rally, coming within one at 25-24.  On the next play the Tigers responded, putting down a kill and giving them the cushion they would need to go on to a 30-27 victory.

After falling behind 3-1 in the second set, the Violets put together a 7-1 run to force Princeton into a timeout.  Coming out of the stoppage, the Tigers managed to narrow the gap to two.  However, another quick spurt by NYU gave the team back a four-point margin at 13-9.

The Violets continued to hold the lead until a Princeton kill tied the set at 15.  NYU regained the lead on the next point, but Princeton took the following four to take a 19-16 lead.  The Violets quickly responded behind kills from Zolnowski and fellow senior captain Ilan Goldstein to tie the set at 20. 

The two teams traded the next four points before the Violets re-took the lead at 23-22 off a Zolnowski service ace.  After the two teams traded the next two points, NYU took the lead for good off a kill from freshman Pat Dodd at 25-24.  Down the stretch, the Violets gave up only one more point and a Dodd ace sealed the set for NYU at 30-25.

In the third and fourth sets the Tigers appeared to change gears.  After nine attack errors and a .135 hitting percentage in the second set, Princeton hit four errors while pounding 31 kills with a .587 hitting percentage in the final two frames.  The Violets in the same stretch managed only 18 kills against 16 errors and hit .039 as the Tigers took sets three and four 30-19 and 30-16.

Zolnowski put down a match-high 18 kills to tie the NYU rally scoring single-season kills record of 500 set by Mitch Kallick back in 2002.  Zolnowski now needs 49 kills to tie the NYU all-time record set by NYU Hall of Fame member Robert Schwarz in 2000.  Also, with 1,426 kills, Zolnowski needs just 17 to surpass Macnair Sillick's career rally-scoring total of 1,442.

Junior Michael Ferragonio also put down 18 kills for his sixth double-digit kills performance in the past seven matches.

On defense, Goldstein tallied a match-high nine digs while adding 42 assists.

For the Tigers, junior Carl Hamming put down 15 kills and hit .500 while senior Ka'ohu Berg-Hee put up eight digs.

The Violets return to action this Thursday, April 2, when they host EIVA Hay Division opponent East Stroudsburg University at 7:00 pm.  For the Violets, the match is do or die as a win keeps them in playoff contention while a loss eliminates them from possible postseason play.