10/21/2025
We are up to 62,408 faces on the NJP Faces of NJ Volleyball page so far for the 2025 girl’s season. Well, maybe that’s not correct. It feels like that though. We will have to do an official count soon. Not an item we usually keep stats on.
Sometimes, we just don’t get it right. It’s a sick feeling when your project crashes and burns to the ground. Especially when you have such high hopes to bring some cheer to our fans. Giving the volleyball community a chance to showoff their sense of humor and find those hidden standup comedians in the crowd seemed liked a good idea. We were looking forward to sharing some jokes with a volleyball theme which in hindsight may have been a bit ambitious. We have not received any submissions yet with just three days to go to the deadline. Maybe you are all holding out and honing your punchlines before submitting. We hope so… read the article HERE and come out, come out, wherever you are and send in your contributions!!!
Here are some recaps for a busy Tuesday night. We will continue posting content through the night until we pass out…
#18 Holmdel remained remains one of the teams to beat at the Shore with a dominant 3-0 victory over #19 Southern on Tuesday evening, rolling to 25-20, 25-22, and 25-11 wins to improve to an impressive 19-1 overall while sporting a perfect 10-0 divisional record. The Hornets controlled all three sets and pulled away emphatically in the final frame to secure the sweep. Southern (15-8, 8-2 Shore A South) hung tough through the first two sets, staying competitive and making Holmdel work for every point before the Hornets’ talent and depth took over. The Rams always play their best volleyball come conference and state playoff time which gives major kudos to a Hornets squad that has been nothing less than spectacular in 2025. Outside of a mid-season close loss to St. John Vianney, Holmdel has only lost one set all season.
Jackson Township moved comfortably into the quarterfinals of the Shore Conference Tournament after a straight-set victory over Raritan (25-18, 26-24, 25-17) on Tuesday afternoon. The Jaguars, now 17-3 overall, continue to showcase their consistency and front-line depth, while Raritan prepares for state playoff with a 12-7 record. What a night for middle Vanessa Fuentes. Fuentes turned back 10 blocks on the night (that’s AMAZING!) while contributing 3 kills to off her front line dominance. The Jaguars’ offensive balance was key to the win, led by freshman Evelina Chimidova, who finished with 10 kills, and Rafaella Mesquita, who orchestrated the attack with 25 assists. Sydney Negron and Luka Marcinkeviciute added 7 and 8 kills, respectively while Sydney Savage and Yasmin Palma steadied the back row with a combined 34 digs. Raritan battled hard in the second set, pushing Jackson to extra points before falling 26-24, but the Jaguars’ depth and serve consistency proved decisive. Jackson tallied seven aces in the match and controlled most long rallies with effective coverage and transition play. With the victory, Jackson Township moves on to face No. 3 seed Holmdel in the quarterfinal round on Friday, October 24, at 4:00 PM. The Shore Conference semifinals are set for Tuesday, October 28, with the championship match to follow on Thursday, October 30, at Georgian Court University.
Mother Seton continued its dominant season with a straight-set victory over Colonia (25-19, 25-12) in the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament quarterfinals on Tuesday. The win moves the Lions to 19-2 overall, while Colonia ends its tournament run at 11-11. Senior hitter Annabelle Burns paced the attack with 13 kills, while setter Madison Porter directed the offense efficiently, finishing with 24 assists. Faith Forenza added 10 kills, and libero Isabella Matias anchored the defense with 23 digs and 2 aces. Collectively, the Lions’ balance across all rotations limited Colonia’s rhythm and kept consistent pressure throughout both sets. For Colonia, Sandina Almeida tallied 5 kills, while Arabella Palmeri contributed 13 assists and 11 digs. The Patriots competed closely early in the first set but struggled to slow down the consistent attacking of the Lions’ front line. Mother Seton advances to the GMC semifinals, where they will face the winner of the South Brunswick–East Brunswick matchup on Thursday, October 23. The GMC championship is slated for Saturday, October 25 at JFK Iselin, where the Lions will look to capture their first conference crown since joining the White Division’s upper tier.
Secaucus continued its dominance with a straight-set win over Lyndhurst on Tuesday, improving to 19-2 overall. The Patriots handled the Golden Bears 25-22, 25-16, showcasing their offensive precision and defensive balance. Senior standout Olivia Jasiczek led the charge for Secaucus with 11 kills and 3 blocks, maintaining her reputation as one of North Jersey’s most consistent front-row players. Sofia Guzman contributed 8 kills and 9 digs, providing steady two-way play, while setter Sarah Veloz orchestrated the offense with 23 assists and strong court awareness. Isabella Pablos added 4 kills and 3 aces, giving the Patriots a lift from the service line. Lyndhurst (now 16-8) competed hard in the opening set behind Jaylin Vuono Reid’s 8 kills and 3 aces, but the Bears could not sustain pressure against Secaucus’ deep attack. Setter Madison Herman distributed 15 assists, while Olivia DeRuvo added 2 blocks in the loss. The Patriots will turn their attention to the Hudson County Tournament semifinal matchup against Memorial on Wednesday, October 22, with the county championship scheduled for Saturday, October 25 at 1:00 PM at County Prep.
Mount Olive (15-5) won a tight three-set match against divisional opponent West Morris (13-5), with set scores of 25-23, 17-25, and a dramatic 27-25 finish. The Mount Olive offense was orchestrated by setter Kaitlyn Tungmun, who recorded a match-high 33 assists. The attack was led by Olivia Drucks with 17 kills and Izabella Osoria with 16 kills, with Amaya DeLaCruz adding 2 blocks. Defensively, the team relied on Genessa Baltazar‘s 16 digs and Olivia Drucks‘ 16 digs, while Jazmine Laroche also contributed 11 digs.
In a strong semifinal showing, Bridgewater-Raritan powered past Hillsborough in four sets (19–25, 25–15, 25–16, 25–22) to secure its spot in the Somerset County Tournament championship match. The victory improved the Panthers to 21–3 on the season and set up a title showdown with Mount St. Mary’s on Thursday, October 23. After dropping the opening set to a sharp Hillsborough team, Bridgewater-Raritan responded with improved rhythm and defensive coverage. Jahniah Bishop led the way with 15 kills and 3 blocks, anchoring the front line alongside Ava Marvuglio, who matched her total of 15 kills and added 24 digs. Setter Ella Sorenson directed the attack efficiently, contributing 32 assists, while Camille Hilton added 24 digs and 3 aces from the back row. Hillsborough (now 14–7) came out fast in the first set behind Grace Fitzpatrick, who delivered a stellar all-around performance with 17 kills and 15 digs. Setter Cynthia Lei was outstanding in distribution, recording 42 assists, while Abigail Fenton tallied 15 kills and 21 digs to keep the Raiders competitive through all four frames. Despite their momentum early, Hillsborough could not overcome the Panther’s balanced attack and serve pressure down the stretch. With the win, Bridgewater-Raritan moves one step closer to reclaiming county supremacy, while Hillsborough’s strong postseason run highlights their continued rise within the Skyland Conference ranks.
Mount St. Mary powered past Rutgers Prep in straight sets (25–21, 25–18, 25–8) to earn a spot in the Somerset County Tournament Championship. The victory improved Mount St. Mary’s record to 15–5, while Rutgers Prep fell to 13–3 after an impressive season that saw the Argonauts dominate the Skyland Raritan Division. Mount St. Mary controlled the match from the opening serve, led by junior outside hitter Brienne Steinwald, who recorded 17 kills to pace the offense. Setter Sophia Padin distributed the ball with precision, notching 28 assists and 10 digs, while Julia Stempien added 6 kills, 13 digs, and a pair of aces. The defensive line was anchored by Brighid Horvath, who tallied 3 blocks, helping contain Rutgers Prep’s attack. Rutgers Prep’s best stretch came early in the first set, as Aubrey Franz led with 8 kills, and setter Rebecca Panacek recorded 12 assists. However, the Argonauts struggled to sustain momentum against Mount St. Mary’s consistent serving and deep rotations. Despite a balanced effort from contributors like Anushka Gubbala and Laela Domanski, Rutgers Prep could not overcome the Mount’s control at the net and aggressive transition play. With the win, Mount St. Mary advances to the Somerset County Championship against a surging Bridgewater-Raritan squad that defeated Hillsborough earlier in the day. The matchup will feature two of the county’s most disciplined and experienced programs, each seeking to close out their tournament run with a championship trophy at stake on Thursday, October 23.
Montville picked up its long-awaited first victory of the season with a straight-set win over Morristown on Tuesday afternoon. The match, which marked a turnaround moment for the Mustangs, ended 2–0 as Montville improved to 1–18 overall, while Morristown dropped to 5–13. The Mustangs showed composure and consistency, capitalizing on key rallies to take control of both sets. It was a complete team effort that highlighted steady passing and improved offensive execution, elements that had been developing over recent weeks. For Montville, the win was not only a morale boost but also a statement of perseverance after a challenging season filled with close losses against quality teams.
#1 Paul VI vs Princeton tomorrow!!!! Can the Eagles keep their unbeaten streak alive? The #2 Williamstown Braves are hard charging and within a small fraction of 1 rating point behind in the race to win # 1 Overall in NJ at the end of the year… Old Bridge is very close as well. If they can get by the Tigers… the road to #1 may run through St. John Vianney or IHA in the non-public final. But anything can happen. The Tigers will provide an excellent test. The math and algorithm has favored Paul VI as NJ’s best team in all 8 weeks of the rankings.
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