Historically, Princeton has had the edge over Penn in volleyball. This year, the Quakers hope to turn that around in their favor.
This Saturday, Penn opens its Ivy League season at Princeton, looking to start atop the division with a win.
Penn and the Tigers have both been on hot streaks as of late.
"Both of us are coming in with a ton of confidence," coach Kerry Carr said. "Whoever gets on top first, the other team is going to match it. It's going to be a huge fight. We're two of the top teams in the Ivy League."
The Quakers (6-5) have won six of their last eight matches and just came off a big win against Villanova.
Meanwhile, the Tigers (7-3) have won five consecutive matches.
Although Penn ended last season 0-2 against Princeton, co-captain Anna Shlimak thinks her team can pull it off this year.
"We do have an edge," she said. "We're fired up and ready to play. Their team doesn't really change every year and we've improved substantially."
The Quakers have been watching tape of the Tigers and have an idea of how Princeton will hit and how to defend against each kind of hit. Penn also fixed its tipping game - those soft shots over the net - and Carr hopes it is no longer a weakness.
Instead of looking for certain players to step it up, coach Carr wants to see the whole team produce results.
"I want Princeton to be afraid of all of us. You can't defend against that. You don't know where the ball is going. You can't double up on someone," said Carr.
To beat Princeton, Penn needs to shut down Princeton's offense.
Two of the Tigers' outside hitters, Jessica Hoffmann and Taylor Carroll, have played together since high school. According to Carr, they "are very in tune with each other and virtually unstoppable."
Princeton also boasts a very scrappy and strong defense, getting touches on balls on which other teams might give up.
The Tigers' middle blocker, Lindsey Ensign, presents a viable threat to Penn. She has the most kills and the highest hitting percentage in the league.
"The bottom line is that we have to stop Ensign," said Carr.
Regardless of whether Penn wins or not, it is only a loose indication of the season ahead.
"If we win, it will definitely set the tone for the season, said Carr. "If for some reason we don't do as well, we hope it's just a fluke. But I really think our team will find a way to win on Saturday."
If Princeton thinks it can rely on its past domination of Penn, the Tigers might have another thing coming.
