The Trinity Tigers solidified their position as one of the best teams in the country, winning all four games in their home tournament. The weekend was highlighted by a four-set victory of No. 13 MIT, which capped off a weekend where the Tigers only lost two sets. Trinity came into the weekend as the No. 12 ranked team in the nation.
The Tigers started their weekend against the Franklin and Marshall Diplomats. It was an encouraging start for the Diplomats, who won the first set 25-23. However, the good news for Franklin and Marshall stopped there, as the Tigers won the next three sets to take the game. The Diplomats finished the game with 59 kills compared to Trinity’s 55 but also committed 32 errors. The Tigers only had 18 errors, which proved to be the difference in the game.
Trinity’s next game was against the Californian team, the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens. Trinity flew through the first set, taking the Sagehens down 25-12 in a surgical performance. Pomona-Pitzer bounced back, playing much better in the second set. However, an ace from fifth-year libero Nadia Kern finished the set, as the Tigers won the set 25-19 and gave the Tigers a 2-0 lead in the best of five.
Desperate to keep the game going, the Sagehens fought back in the third set. Pomona-Pitzer took a 15-14 lead, but sophomore Jenna Rodriguez gave Trinity the lead with three consecutive aces. The Tigers went on to win the third set 25-20 and win the game three sets to none.
In the third game, the Tigers played against the Whittier College Poets. The Poets presented a challenge for Trinity in the first set, but the Tigers were able to prevail 23-23. The next set proved to be a different story as Trinity rolled through the second set, winning 25-13 and taking a 2-0 lead. Trinity took the momentum through the third set, blowing out the Poets 25-9. The Tigers recorded a hitting percentage of .295, overwhelming Whittier and leading them to victory.
Trinity’s final match was against the No. 13 MIT Engineers. The two ranked teams played a thrilling first set that saw MIT win 26-24. However, Trinity was able to bounce back in the second set, scoring the final five points and winning the set 25-16. The Tigers kept the momentum in the next set, winning it 25-17 and putting MIT on the brink of a loss. Trinity began the fourth set strong, jumping to an early 5-1 lead. MIT struck back and eventually took the lead 10-9. The Tigers overcame this adversity and won the set 25-19, taking the game three sets to one. Trinity was able to outplay the thirteenth-best team in the country, having more kills, fewer errors and more aces than the Engineers.
It was an incredibly successful weekend for the Tigers, who were coming off a weekend that saw them drop two of their three games. This bounce-back effort should keep the Tigers ranked No. 12, if not move them higher. Tigers went to the national championship last season, and a weekend like this could be the first step to making it back. @COLE
