PRINCETON, N.J. – In the Ivy League opener for both teams, the University of Pennsylvania volleyball team opened Ivy League play with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-16, 25-8) loss to its travel partner and the defending Ivy League champion from 2019, Princeton.
 
Quaker Notemeal
*Penn struggled all night on the attack, hitting just .035 with only 26 kills and 23 errors.
 
*Junior Autumn Leak led the Quakers with eight kills, followed by seniors Margaret Planek and Daniela Fornaciari who had six each.
 
*Another senior, Kylie Kulinski, stepped into the setter role on Friday night and had 19 assists, two block solos, and three digs.
 
*Junior Caroline Douglas led Penn with 10 digs on Friday.
 
How It Happened
Penn was down just a point early in the first set, 7-6, when the Tigers went on a four-point run that eventually became a 14-7 lead. The Quakers got back within four points at 17-13, but another three-point Princeton run forced a second Penn timeout and the teams essentially traded points the rest of the way as the Tigers got the early advantage.
 
Princeton gained early control again in the second set, a three-point run breaking a 3-3 tie. The Tigers eventually grew the lead to 10-5, before Penn roared back behind Tatum DeMann's serve and got within 10-9. It was still 12-10 when the Tigers ripped off six straight points to gain separation. The Quakers got within five points at 21-16, but Princeton scored four in a row to earn the set victory.
 
Any hopes Penn had of getting back into the match in the third set were quickly snuffed out. The Tigers scored the first nine points in the set before Penn finally got on the board. The teams traded points to 17-8, and then Princeton punctuated its victory with the final eight points of the night.
 
Up Next
Penn is back at home for the first time since September 4 next weekend, playing its first full Ivy League weekend of the season. The Quakers host Harvard on Friday night at 7 p.m., followed by Dartmouth on Saturday at 5 p.m.