10/6/25

110 matches on an immense Monday night schedule as we start week 6 of the NJ high school girl’s volleyball season. We will get to recaps shortly but first a few items regarding yesterday’s updated ranking.

Williamstown has closed the gap on Paul VI in the rating system. The top 2 teams in NJ are separated by only .04 of one rating point. The Braves pummeled three opponents last week by high margins of victory. Bishop Eustace was the closest as they put up 16 points in one set. The three impressive sweeps helped them close the gap.

There is also a .04 difference between #3 Old Bridge and #4 Princeton. Old Bridge is 1.5 points behind Williamstown. Only 5 teams remain undefeated. The top 4, Paul VI, Williamstown, Old Bridge, and Princeton, and also #13 Randolph. Only one team has yet to lose a set this season and that team is the defending NJP overall State Champ from 2024-25, Princeton.

#7 Pinelands lost to Madison for their first downer of the season. They won the first set and then got reverse swept after the long journey north and defeating East Brunswick in their first game. They face #3 Old Bridge tomorrow and will try to rebound against the undefeated Knights. Hosting will help their chances.

Lots of top 20 teams were downed on the Monday night schedule… get caught up with the recaps below…

Accolades:

Gloria Garay of Rahway lifted her 500th career dig vs Dayton. Awesome achievement Gloria.

Kent Place Savera Rigby now has 600 career assists as she adds 16 helpers in KP’s big win over Lawrenceville.

Recaps for Monday night…

In a battle of SEC-American contenders, Livingston stunned Verona in straight sets, 2-0 (25-23, 26-24), handing the Hillbillies just their second loss of the season. Setter Gabriella Anthony orchestrated the offense with 15 assists and 2 aces, while Camilla Dong and Valeria Tolstenkov powered the attack with 6 kills apiece. Cadence Sturt added 4 kills and strong back-row play, helping Livingston keep Verona’s dangerous hitters in check. Despite Brynn Mack’s 11 kills and Samantha Heimall’s 17 assists, Verona couldn’t overcome late-set errors or Livingston’s steady defense. The Lancers improved to 9-3, making a major statement in conference play with one of their most complete performances of the season.

In one of the Big North’s biggest surprises of the week, Pascack Valley took down rival Old Tappan in straight sets, 2-0 (25-21, 25-23), behind a poised, well-rounded team effort. Setter Celia Torres was outstanding, distributing 22 assists while adding 10 digs and an ace to lead the Panthers’ attack. Riley Hirsch delivered a match-high 8 kills and 8 digs, while Gianna Siller added 7 kills and Addison Demyen contributed 5 kills and 2 blocks to dominate the net. Libero Maddy Romero anchored the defense with 20 digs, helping neutralize Old Tappan’s power hitters throughout the match. With the win, Pascack Valley moved to 6-5 overall, earning a statement victory over one of North Jersey’s most consistent programs.

Cranford (11-1) secured a tough three-set victory over divisional rival New Providence (9-5), winning 14-25, 25-15, and 25-13 to maintain their perfect 10-0 record in the UCC – Mountain division. Cranford‘s offense was balanced, with Taylor Jones leading the team with 6 kills and contributing a team-high 2 blocks, while Alex Chapman added 5 kills and 15 digs. Setter Emma Andre guided the attack with 11 assists, and Ivy Bruton contributed 5 assists, 7 digs, and 2 aces. For New Providence, Katherine Heitmann paced the offense with a match-high 10 kills. Despite winning the first set, New Providence couldn’t contain Cranford‘s rally led by a strong defensive effort including Annabella Giudice‘s co-team-high 15 digs.

The Science Park Chargers continued their dominant season with a straight-set victory over St. Benedict’s, winning 2-0 (25-20, 25-20) to improve to 14-1 overall and stay unbeaten in SEC-Independence play. Nicole Nwaejiaku was unstoppable at the net, finishing with 8 kills and 4 blocks to lead the attack, while setter Gianna Jacho ran the offense smoothly with 19 assists and steady ball control. Eloah Bispo added 7 kills and 9 digs, and Ashley Quezada kept the defense organized with 8 digs and an ace. Science Park’s consistency and front-line presence proved too much for a talented St. Benedict’s squad that dropped to 9-3.

Paul VI (15-0) extended their perfect season and maintained their lead in the Olympic – Patriot division by sweeping Cherry Hill West (3-9) in straight sets, winning 25-11 and 25-5. The dominant Paul VI offense was led by Megan Evans and Amelia Reagan, who each recorded 6 kills, with Khloe Greene-Gordon adding 5 kills and a match-high 2 blocks. Setter Maggie Carcillo efficiently ran the offense, compiling 16 assists and contributing 8 service points and 4 digs. The team’s aggressive serving resulted in 11 total aces, including 5 from Maggie Carcillo and 2 from Avery Margre, which proved too much for the Cherry Hill West defense.

In one of the GMC Blue Division’s most competitive matches of the week, Sayreville edged New Brunswick in a thrilling three-set contest, 2-1 (25-21, 23-25, 25-21), to improve to 11-5 overall and 10-3 in conference play. Chloe Agustin led the Bombers with 6 kills, 3 aces, and a block, while Skye Hunter added 5 kills, 9 digs, and an ace to balance the attack. Setter Sofiya Verstylar guided the offense with 10 assists, connecting well with a deep rotation that featured Natalia Glazewski (4 kills) and Kacy Koranteng (3 kills). For New Brunswick, Valeria Lopez had a strong all-around performance with 7 kills, 12 digs, and 4 aces, while Izuhitzi Rojas Garcia tallied 21 assists to keep the Zebras within striking distance throughout. Sayreville’s consistency in serve-receive and late-set composure proved the difference, helping them fend off a determined New Brunswick squad that continues to show growth down the stretch.

In a pivotal divisional clash, Ramsey earned a signature straight-set win over Westwood, 2-0 (25-22, 25-21), improving to 9-3 overall and tightening the Big North Patriot race. Haley Spierenburg powered the Rams with 8 kills and 2 aces, while Kylie Song added 7 kills and 4 digs to keep the offense steady. Setter Jules Pensari guided the attack with 8 assists, complemented by Bella Moore’s balanced play (6 assists, 2 kills, and an ace). Libero Lucy Sobel anchored Ramsey’s back row with 13 digs, helping neutralize Westwood’s strong hitters, including Maria Papathanasopoulos, who led the Cardinals with 8 kills, and Alex Pazian, who tallied 7 kills and 17 digs. Ramsey’s poise in tight moments and depth across the lineup proved decisive, earning a quality road victory over a 12-2 Westwood squad in one of the conference’s marquee matchups.

The Northern Highland Highlanders continued their strong Big North Freedom campaign with a straight-set victory over Paramus, 2-0 (25-12, 26-24), improving to 12-2 overall and 4-2 in conference play. Georgia Cacciabaudo led Northern Highlands with 6 kills and 13 digs, while Hannah Brown added 5 kills and a block at the net. Setter Allie Reilly directed the offense with 13 assists and contributed 4 aces, helping the Highlanders establish early control. Paramus battled back fiercely in the second set behind Niki Tetro’s 9 kills and 7 digs, along with Mattia Rivarola’s 15 assists, but fell just short in extra points. Northern Highlands’ depth and consistent serve pressure proved key as the Highlanders closed out the match to stay firmly in the top half of the division standings.

After a slow start, Kent Place stormed back to defeat Lawrenceville in three sets, 2-1 (10-25, 25-18, 25-21), evening its record at 6-6 on the season. Outside hitter Pranavi Raina led the charge with a dominant all-around performance, posting 12 kills, 15 digs, and a block to fuel the comeback. Setter Savera Rigby ran a balanced offense with 16 assists, while Maya Hardy added 9 kills and 5 digs to keep momentum rolling in the final two sets. Quinn Sartorius and Lyla Sartorius anchored the defense with 20 and 14 digs, respectively, helping Kent Place hold off Lawrenceville’s late rally.

Immaculate Heart (10-2) defeated divisional opponent Paramus Catholic (6-5) in straight sets, winning 26-24 and 25-5, and extending their Big North – United record to 5-0. The Immaculate Heart offense was efficiently run by setter Kristen Lee, who recorded a match-high 19 assists, 12 digs, and 5 aces. Adrielle Crump led the hitting attack with 9 kills and added 6 digs and an ace, while Sophia Mahon and Chidinma Onwuchekwa each contributed 5 kills. The team’s aggressive serving was key, producing 13 aces total, including 5 from Kristen Lee and 3 from Emma Fowler. For Paramus Catholic, Kalia Coles led the team with 6 kills and 3 digs, while setter Evangelina Javate tallied 7 assists in the loss.

Some great matches tomorrow including #4 Princeton (14-0) at #16 Southern (12-5), #7 Pinelands (17-1) hosting #3 Old Bridge (15-0), Mount Olive (9-4) vs. Sparta (10-4), #13 Randolph (10-0) vs. Morris Hills (10-2), Dwight Engelwood (11-2) at St. Mary’s Rutherford (13-1), Northern Highlands (12-2) vs. Westwood (12-2), #25 Hunterdon Central (10-5) at #20 Mount Saint Mary (9-2), #11 IHA (10-2) at Wayne Valley (8-2), #17 Holmdel (15-1 vs. Middletown North (10-5), and Kingsway (8-2) at Bishop Eustace (11-2).

More to come until 2AM… stay tuned.