While Friday’s loss against Yale did not go the Quakers' way, Penn volleyball rallied to sweep Brown 3-0 on Saturday. That change in energy was thanks to a critical adjustment in the team's strategy.
“We said our serve and pass game was gonna win this,” coach Meredith Schamun said. “I knew [Brown] struggled passing at Princeton last night and we didn’t serve well against Yale last night. So we were like OK, let’s reset.”
From the very first set, as the lead bounced back and forth between the two teams, it was clear this would be a hard-won game. With the score tied up at 14-14, Brown’s (3-9, 0-3 Ivy) strong defense stood out, allowing the offense to grow more aggressive and leading the Bears to a 22-18 lead. However, thanks to an impressive surprise kill from freshman outside hitter Ellie Siskin, the tide turned and Penn ultimately won the set 25-23 with a winning kill from sophomore outside hitter Zada Sanger.
With a lead in tow, the Red and Blue defended their advantage in the second set. Sophomore right-side hitter Bella Rittenberg recorded a career high 19 digs throughout the game, along with kills that set up the team for success. Through Rittenberg and freshman right-side hitter Jenniya Lane’s strong defensive blocks, as well as Siskin and freshman middle blocker Adell Murray’s kills, the Quakers took the second set handily 25-16.
“We had a lot of young people that showed up in different spaces today,” Schamun said. “The good thing is when one or two of them have a down game there's other people that rise to the occasion.”
The energy was contagious as the third set began with an ace on the serve by freshman outside hitter Jenna Garner. Brown fought back, but the Bears were plagued with inconsistent and impulsive misses both in the net and outside the lines. Throughout this final set, the Bears fell apart, tripping over their unforced errors time and time again as the Quakers scored one point after another. The third set showcased both Rittenberg and Siskin dominating the court with vicious kills and notable assists by freshman setter Emery Moore. The Quakers again took the set 25-16, giving them an Ivy League sweep on their home turf.
“I think the team stuck to the game plan to the tee,” Schamun said. “They didn't get too high or too low, they just rode out the waves and made sure they took care of business, and ultimately it was the best thing we could have done.”
Now 2-2 in Ivy League play, the Quakers will continue to implement their new strategy against Dartmouth and Harvard, in the hopes of continuing to defend the Palestra.
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