Volleyball: Princeton beats Newman, and ‘it definitely feels good’

Sterling Newman has been the standard all other volleyball teams in the Three Rivers East have compared themselves to as undefeated champions for five years and winners of 59 straight league matches.

So it’s a big win whenever you can beat the Comets. The Princeton Tigresses got that mission accomplished Tuesday night at Prouty Gym.

“They beat us last year, so we had to come stronger this year,” Princeton junior Keighley Davis said. “We talked before the game how we had to really push ourselves and beat them.”

“They’ve had our number the last three or four years, so it’s a big win definitely,” Princeton coach Andy Puck said. “I think the last two years, we’ve been the only team that’s taken them to three. They’ve been battles in every match we’ve had, and they just seem to come out on top.

“Yeah, I’m not going to lie. Today definitely feels good.”

The Tigresses (4-3, 1-0) broke open the first game with a 10-point run on the way to a 25-13 opener and took the match with another decisive 25-15 win in game two.

“It was a big confidence boost. Got us going even more the second game,” Davis said.

Davis took over the first game for the Tigresses. She had three straight blocks early in the run and a fourth on the back end, as the Tigresses zoomed to a 14-3 lead. She came back with a string of three kills as PHS stretched its lead to 20-8.

Kathy Maciczak, Davis’ partner in crime at the net, knocked down a pair of kills for a 23-12 advantage.

Ace serving kept the Tigresses on top in the second game. Keely Lawson, Maciczak and Caroline Keutzer each served up an ace on the way to a 9-5 lead. Maciczak struck for two more kills for sideouts and added another ace to give the Tigresses a 19-12 lead.

Davis finished the night how she started it, with a block and a kill for a 25-15 winner.

“Everything worked well,” Davis said. “We had good passes. Our serves were all in. We were getting good sets and hits down.”

Puck said he moved some things around after Saturday’s third-place finish at the Hall tournament to get the Tigresses’ best lineup on the floor.

“We compiled some data and figured out our strengths and weaknesses,” he said. “I tell my kids we’re supposed to expose our strengths and hide our weaknesses. I think we had a lineup able to do that tonight.”

Newman coach Debi Kelly, facing a rebuilding project this season, said the Comets (1-1) were out of sync.

“We just didn’t have energy and didn’t flow and move at a fast pace we had been doing last week,” she said. “We’re missing some players, too, and we had some different players out there, and they’re young.

“We’ll grow from it and take it on to the next game.”

Davis (seven kills) and Maciczak formed a potent 1-2 punch at the net, combining for 12 kills.

“I think we’re both pretty good and play well together,” Davis said.

“They feed well off each other. They’re really, really good friends. They push each other in practice,” Puck said. “I tell you, once Davis gets that fire lit, and sometimes it takes a while, she’ll take a game over. Kathy’s all energy. She’s nonstop. It doesn’t take much to get her going.”

Keutzer had the hot hand at the line with 15 points and four aces. Ellie Harp had seven points, while Maciczak added six points with four aces.

Makenzie Duhon led Newman with five kills and four digs.

Princeton swept the night. The sophomores rallied for a 21-25, 25-16, 25-21 win, and the freshmen won 25-13 and 25-15.