I think I speak for the entire Club VB class of '97 in expressing my love for everyone involved with this team over the past four years and my gratitude for getting to play and hang with everyone. This team has made and will continue to make Princeton a better place, and I hope that those who remain and the youngsters who join them next year and in all the years to come will realize that this team represents a facet of this crazy school that no classroom can touch. A big fat "Two-Five-O" and a sweet "tah-teh" to Steve, Colleen, Terry, Lisa, all my classmates and everyone dedicated to keeping the dream alive.
-Josh Stephens 19 May 1997

Senior v. Scrubs
The senior clubvb class assembles for one last hurrah. Racing against an impending "Dream Team" intramural contest, the seniors make quick work of a poorly motivated scrub squad. The key: Hit it at EKU. As the immortal Choacha once said, "The meatheads put the 15 on the board." Well...our last 15 was posted and the biggest collection of meatheads that clubvb will hopefully ever see again made their way to the exits.

Moonachie USAV A Tournament 4.5.97
We get blown out again but have a good time nonetheless. Shep plays his final matches as a member of Pton ClubVB. Lesher returns and so does his sack. Our defense never shows up though. Too much Princeton on the brain to play good volleyball. Oh well, at least Josh can get off on the Rutgers match.

Rutgers Scrimmage 4/4/97
After many long years, we finally meet with our state-school friends from New Brunswick, and we get a lesson in consistency and team cohesion. With few starters out of the lineup, Pryor, Stephens, Ragones, Brooks, Samanani and Lee say a possible farewell to Dillon. We blow a nice lead in the first because we really weren't warmed up, pull off the second-game win, and then fall apart for the next two. Siding out and passing were not problems, but defense and transition were.Az plays great, Rags and Steve do not. Josh, with a serious case of thesis-brain and a Monday deadline, redeems himself from a shitty first game, and Stafford surprises the pants off everyone in the fourth. Shaka Brah to the Scarlet Knights. If anyone wants to relive this one, we have it on tape!

Spring Break, March 17-23
No, we didn't go to Florida and we didn't make rugby shirts to commerorate the trip. Instead, the hardcore gang gathers in Dillon for a daily dose of old-fashioned playground ball. Nothing beats a volleyball studybreak.

Garden City USAV A Tournament
Losers.

Haverford Scrimmage
Randy wreaks revenge on that hick liberal arts school he attended (he kicked ass in the classroom too...class valedictorian thank you very much).

Women's Round-Robin Dillon Gym 2/23/97
Princeton A d. Princeton B 15-3, 15-0, 15-7; BU d. Rutgers 15-13, 15-13, 15-9, Rutgers d. Princeton B 8-15, 15-3, 16-14; Princeton A d. Rutgers 2-1. BU points out spotty reffing and hospitality. We're all going to charm school this summer.
Early Sun. morning, Rachel Kimbrough '99 becomes the first woman ever to be cut from club VB. We wish her well in her other endeavours and congratulate her on her amdmission to Cap and Gown.

Warren USAV A Tournament 2/16/97
We get worked by the geezers. Its time to step it up in practice, work on the defense, work on the intensity.

Elections 1997 1/23/97
The dictatorship has ended. In the first free elections since May 1994, Princeton club VB has elected co-chairs for the 1997 year. Steve Shih '99 and Terry Tran '98 assume the responsibilities with aplomb.

Widener Tournament 12/7/96
We bring the K-Us and beat the chumps at their own game.

Thanksgiving Tournament 11/23/96
A huge day in the history of P'ton Club Volleyball. We won our pool but choked in semis against a scrappy Columbia team. UMass refuses to lose and comes away with the Turkey and Corona.
Complete Results | Flyer | Program | Schedule | Buy a T Shirt!!

Home Women's Match vs. Rutgers 11/21/96
A lovely home debut, despite poor attendance by the men's team. Played great and handled the Scarlet Knights. Colleen owns the net, everyone contributes, Dillon Gym is readied for upcoming domination.

Doubleheader at UMBC 11/17/96
On perhaps the darkest day in the history of Princeton Volleyball, both men's and women's club teams lost competitive, but entirely winable matches, while the varsity women's team got knocked out of the Ivy Tournament with a loss to Yale. Hang the 250 flag at half-staff over Dillon. The rivalry w/ UMBC heats up once again - in three matches, we have three close losses, although this one was barely a match. Only Arches and a possible Prospect 12 can rectify. The women played a competitve match. Bummer, but no complaints. If we were ever to come w/ full squads, the combo of talent and moral support would be overwhelming. Photos.

Home Match vs. Villanova 11/7/96
Despite the late start, all's well that ends well. In the absence of Shep (Illinois, med school) and Sheppard (wrist, drunk), Stephens and Brooks relive the brentwood days and step in to effect the ruination of a strong Villanova squad. Knee injury does not prevent Josh from playing to his potential; glasses bring out the worst in "Nerd" Dave. For Brooks, it's all in the corduroy. Musical middles works well for all. Let's hear it for solid setting and hitting the ball in the court! Thanks to the fans who showed up. Sorry, no photos; we were too busy passing nails and hammering balls.

Work Detail: W. Varsity vs. Columbia & Cornell, 11/1-2/96
Josh struggles with his journalistic integrity; decides to go for the money and the sweet Reebok shirt by calling lines. A few other people chip in, and we make super-dope, super-easy money. Chicks blow away their Ivy compeition; No. 18 on Columbia is pretty cute, though (same for No. 12 on Cornell). Photo.

Boston Road Trip 10/25 - 10/27 1996
A saga of victory and perversion. Photos.

Charter Day/250th Anniversary Work Detail 10/25
On one of the most enjoyable and impressive events of our Princeton careers and under a blue sky sent straight from Heaven, we earned money, bonding and stupendous orange smocks that will forever symbolize our twofold love for team and school. There was sauciness and Sheryl Crow, ice and Toni Morrison, fireworks and fanfare all in the name of glorious higher education. Photos.

Monumental, First-Ever Women's BB Tourney 10/13
With a roster of six and the understandbale uncertainty of a brand-new endeavor, the women came away from their BB tourney with flying colors and newfound understanding of the value of youth. 5-4 in the pool, but they surged at the end, and you can never underestimate the value of a good surge. The inaugural roster: Cathleen, Colleen, Holly, Katy, Becca, Tina.

First GEVA/USAVB Men's Tourney - 10/12
Oh my. Can you say, "incompetent tournament director?!?" Hello?!? We are in college. We should not be playing teenagers and middle-aged men who like to bat the ball around. We love everyone who plays B division, but we're rather not pay 65 fucking dollars to play them. We're good. We promise. Shep debuted at outside. The debut of Peter, as well. Hammering on the "ein" and making allof our lives more jolly via email. Stafford, meet Peter; Peter, meet Stafford. The guy with the glasses? Oh, that's Ron.

Clam Bake - 10/5
Too much to describe just this moment. The Scavenger Hunt was a big success, though, and we raised a glass to Tah-Teh and the other giants of Princeton volleyball on whose shoulders we now stand. Otherwise, much carnival carousing. Photos.

Haverford - 10/5
Everyone gets to play! The 'Ford played well on its own rubberized floor, and Randy's fans didn't do us much good. Props to Steve's jump serve; dis to Randy's directions. Next time we go Mainlining, we're bringing a map, or at least clean needles. Photos

First Practices
Dope.

Tryouts
Super Dope. Flyer.
New members include Randy, Russian spy and physics grad student extrordaire, and the requisite pair o' frosh, Matt Ketchum and Dave Wang.

Activities Faire
Dave & Josh sit outside trying to look as enticing as possible. Judging by the 100+ names on the list, it works.

Pre-Season
Delivering via email his summer State of Club VB address, newly installed co-chair Dave Ragones once again proposes the changes we've all been wanting to make for the past three years. These changes include splitting the teams and drinking more beer. the dictatorial committe passes them unanimously after consultation with Terry, Colleen, Lisa, Steve and Heather; Eliot was there too.