Powerful performances at the Palestra: The top moments of 2012

While 2012 ended on a sour note for the Red and Blue as they got swept in the Empire State, the Quakers produced some memorable victories on their way to a winning season. Let’s look at three of the top moments.

3. A strong start to the season at the Big 5 tournament

The Quakers began their season with a loss against Temple, but on Sept. 1, they came out with their first two wins of the year. In two matchups against La Salle and Villanova, the Red and Blue dropped just one set and dominated their two rivals. In her first volleyball action at Penn, then-freshman Ronnie Bither was named to the all-tournament team after out-assisting both La Salle and Villanova’s entire teams.

“My first weekend playing college [volleyball] was very exciting,” Bither said. “It’s a lot different, and a lot more fast-paced. It was kind of nerve-wracking to start off but we finally started to mesh as a team and got better all weekend.”

2. Sweeping success at home against Harvard and Dartmouth

Despite struggling early in the year at the Palestra, the Quakers really found their stride at home in the second half of the year, winning five of their last six home matches. Right in the middle of that stretch was a pair of matches during homecoming weekend, when Penn took on Harvard and Dartmouth.

While the Quakers split their matchups against those squads on the road, they swept the Crimson and Big Green in the friendly confines of the Palestra. It was pure domination, as the Red and Blue took all six sets they played during the weekend of Oct. 26 through 27. The pair of flawless performances would help Penn finish with a 5-2 record at home during Ivy play, a stark improvement over their 3-4 record in those matches during the 2011 season.

1. Sweet revenge as Penn comes from behind to defeat Princeton

After a crushing five-set loss to the Tigers at the Palestra to begin Ivy play in which Penn blew a 2-1 set lead, the Quakers were looking to get back at Princeton when they came to Jadwin Gym on Oct. 19. Early on, things weren’t looking good as the Tigers took an early 2-0 lead. Yet the Red and Blue continued to fight and won the final three sets to avenge the early season loss, despite being just two points away from a sweep in the third set.

“We beat Princeton on their home court, which is a top five moment every year you do that,” coach Kerry Carr said. “It is just huge when you see [Princeton] deflated, and I think we took them out of their chances to be Ivy champions.”

SEE ALSO

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