9/28/25
Football or Volleyball? A beautiful Sunday winds down week 4 of NJ high school volleyball and week 4 of the NFL is also on the schedule… what is a person to do? I seems pretty simple… put the TV on your favorite NFL game and grab your laptop or phone and tune into NJP for all the latest volleyball schtuff. Not a typo… Match made in heaven…
Today, we will have a new NJP computer ranking, #2 on the season, and updated statistical standings, sectional and group rankings, and our first NJP player rater of the year. Busy, busy, busy!
We are down to just three teams that have not lost a set this season. They are #1, #2, and #4 in the new ranking. Nine undefeated teams remain down from 17 last week. The number of undefeated teams is expected to drop to just 3 or 4 within the next two weeks, if historical norms remain present.
Here is a preview of the upcoming ranking later today…
Team that have not lost a set yet are Paul VI, Old Bridge, and Princeton. The 9 undefeated teams are Paul VI, Old Bridge, Williamstown, Princeton, Ramapo, Pinelands, Randolph, St. Mary’s Rutherford, and Ridge.
Toughest schedule thus far belongs to North Hunterdon which is a big reason they are ranked 14th overall. The top 10 of tough schedules is NH, Ridgewood, Hunterdon Central, Williamstown, East Brunswick, Lenape, Kent Place, Brick Memorial, Montville, and Union Catholic. Quick note that opponents should beware of playing 0-10 Montville as they are clearly better than their 0-10 record indicates.
Highest margins of victory list noted here: Princeton (13.5), Paul VI (12.4), Old Bridge (11.3), Rutherford (9.9), Vianney (9.7), Mother Seton (9.4), Union City (9.4), Secaucus (9.4), Dwight Englewood (8.9), and Ramapo (8.8).
Best record in the state belongs to Pinelands at 13-0!
Tough day for Westfield yesterday, losing their second and third matches of the season, but they did walk away taking a set from Williamstown, which is a victory in itself.
Love how North Hunterdon is battling lately. At 6-6, they remain a power on the NJ landscape. They have already taken down Westfield, Bridgewater-Raritan, Hunterdon Central, Kingsway, and Hillsborough but have tough losses to Williamstown (2X), Southern, Rutgers Prep, & Mt. Saint Mary’s. Such an interesting team to follow this season.
Pinelands is also an interesting team with the best record in the state. Let’s do a deeper dive into their season: Pinelands sits at #8 overall in New Jersey with a 29.62 team rating, sporting a perfect 13-0 record (29-3 in sets, .906 winning percentage). They faced a relatively modest schedule so far. Their opponents include several teams ranked much lower in the state rankings:
- Central Regional (#148, 3-7 record) – beaten twice
- Barnegat (#48, 6-5 record) – beaten twice
- Donovan Catholic (#37, 8-5 record) – beaten twice
- Brick Memorial (#89, 3-6 record)
- Atlantic Tech (#95, 6-3 record)
Their most impressive wins came against:
- Southern (#19, 10-4 record) – a quality opponent
- Washington Township (#30, 7-4 record) – solid win requiring 3 sets
- Cherry Hill East (#13, 8-1 record) – their best victory, though it went 4 sets
Key Observations:
- Dominant Performance: Their 796 points for vs 558 points against shows they’re winning convincingly
- Set Efficiency: 29-3 set record (.906) indicates they rarely drop sets even when tested
- Schedule Difficulty: Most wins have come against teams ranked outside the top 25, which explains why their rating (25.99) is lower than some teams with worse records
Upcoming Tests: The remaining schedule includes Williamstown (#3, 12-0 record) on October 16th. This will be their biggest test and could significantly impact their state tournament seeding.
Tournament Outlook: While 13-0 looks impressive, their relatively weak schedule means they’ll likely need to prove themselves against elite competition in the state tournament. The Williamstown match will be crucial for demonstrating they belong among New Jersey’s top programs.
Believe it or not, 39 teams have just one loss of the 340+ teams in NJ. The depth of talent in New Jersey high school girls volleyball has reached unprecedented levels, creating a landscape where traditional powerhouses can no longer coast through their schedules. Looking at the current rankings, the margins between teams are razor-thin with a small amount of points separating the #1 team Paul VI from #25 Bogota, demonstrating how many programs have elevated their play to elite standards. Teams that might have been afterthoughts a decade ago are now legitimate threats to upset highly-ranked opponents, as evidenced by the competitive records throughout the top 50 where even lower-seeded teams boast impressive win percentages and strong set records. New teams created in the past few years as volleyball participation heightens, are already making strides after limited time in existence. This competitive evolution has transformed the state tournament into a minefield where any given match can produce an upset. The proliferation of club volleyball, improved coaching education, and year-round training has democratized elite-level instruction, allowing smaller programs to develop sophisticated systems and technical skills that were once exclusive to traditional volleyball hotbeds. The result is a state where a team ranked #30 can legitimately challenge a top-10 program on any given night, making every match meaningful and forcing coaches to prepare with the same intensity regardless of their opponent’s perceived strength. This parity has elevated the overall quality of play while making predictions increasingly difficult, creating the most competitive era in New Jersey volleyball history.