Tigers netters thrice bitten by Bulldogs

The Princeton Tigers volleyball team found out exactly why Los Molinos entered Thursday's contest 10-5, as the Tigers were tamed in three straight 20-25, 17-25, 23-25.

Princeton found themselves on the receiving end of multiple kills by Kiersten Seaman, the Bulldog's talented sophomore middle hitter, whose 19 individual kills fell just two shy of Princeton's team total of 21.

The Tigers were able to establish and hold an early lead in the first game with kills from Anna Martin and Mia Nelson along with aces served up by Kodi Gimblin and Martin helping the Tigers build up a 12-9 advantage.

A pair of Los Molinos kills and a block brought the two teams even at 15-15, before a Gimblin kill found the back line to make it 18-17, Princeton. The Tigers managed just two more points on their way to  Game 1 defeat.

The second game also started with neither team pulling away, as aces by Schmidt and Gimblin helped force a 7-7 tie. From that point Los Molinos put together a run to take the lead at 14-9, but Martin struck consecutive kills to pull Princeton to within four at 13-17.

Princeton was never able to close to within more than three points the rest of the way, and the Tigers found themselves looking up out of an 0-2 hole.

Princeton was unable to come up with any sustained rallies in game 3, until a Schmidt kill put her at the line with the Tigers trailing 8-14. Schmidt served for the next seven points, directing a pair of aces to empty spots and getting the help of a Martin kill to wrestle the lead away from the Bulldogs, 15-14.

The two teams stayed within two points of each other until Los Molinos made it 22-19, and it was a lead that held up as Los Molinos completed the three-game sweep.

Schmidt scored 13 points on serves and Martin, 6; with each putting up three aces apiece.

Mia Nelson led the attack with eight kils; Martin, seven; and Schmidt, six.

Junior varsity

The junior varsity needed to play some comeback against Los Molinos, as they found themselves down by as much as 7-15 before eventually closing the gap to 22-24. It was not quite enough as the Tigers fell 22-25.

The second game was all Princeton as they led from the opening serve and never trailed, posting a 10-point win in Game 2, 25-15.

An early 6-1 cushion in the final game forced Los Molinos to play from behind the entire way, but the Eagles squelched any comeback attempt and took the match with a 15-10 win.

Alejandre Gutierrez had nine points with an ace for Princeton, which also got eight points and a pair of aces from Diane Ramos, and Jordan Leonard seven points with three aces.

Tayler Stillwell and Niki Elwood each notched seven kills apiece, and Jordan Leonard made eight assists.

Princeton will take its 4-3-1 mark to Paradise Thursday, to volley with 2-8 Paradise Adventist.