With all of the NJSIAA public sectional champions having been crowned on Tuesday, and all teams including non-public teams ready for group semifinals action, we continue championship week in the NJSIAA group tournaments.

North 1, Group 1

3-Jefferson traveled to 1-Glen Rock and it was a dominant game from start to finish for the Falcons. Senior right side-hitter Scarlett Melick mashed seven kills, with senior outside-hitter Carsyn Giessuebel and sophomore outside Peyton Bradley logging five kills apiece. Senior setter Aleah Woelfel dished out 14 assists in the match, while Jefferson proceeded to serve Glen Rock out of system for the majority of the game.

North 2, Group 1

1-Secaucus hosted 2-Verona in a contest between two very strong teams. Juniors Olivia Jasiczek and Sofia Guzman combined for 18 of Secaucus’ 21 kills in the match. Junior libero Avalyn Torres crossed the 800 dig plateau with her 11 dig performance against Verona. The Patriots also floated in 11 aces in a collectively dominant performance.

Central, Group 1

1-Hoboken hosted 3-Madison in a match that was tight from wire to wire. The Madison Dodgers stunned the 1-seed, taking both each by a two-point score differential. Junior outside-hitter Sophia Christoffers led the way for the Dodgers with 14 kills to go along with 14 digs, thus notching a double-double. Devon Johnson and Eden O’Connor also reached double-digits in digs as Coach Fenton clearly had defense as part of the game plan. Junior setter Eva Errichetti dished out 20 assists, giving her 967 for her career.

South, Group 1

Speaking of upsets, the third upset in the Group 1 field came at Delaware Valley where 2-Raritan outlasted 1-Delaware Valley. Sophomore Sophie Papagiannakis and senior Sabrina Floriano each mashed 10 kills to lead the charge for the Raritan Rockets. Actually, Papagiannakis was two assists shy of a triple double, as she tallied 10 digs and eight assists. Senior libero Julia Del Masto recorded 20 digs and was a rock defensively for the Rockets. Grace Cusumano and Papagiannakis ran the 6-2 offense to perfection, as the tandem combined for 18 assists.

GROUP 1 SEMIS:

• Secaucus at Jefferson
  • Prediction – Jefferson has in the midst of the best season in program history and will win, assuming they can control the service aspect of the game. Every single player that serves for Jefferson has the chance to have an impact, whether it is via an ace or getting a free-ball returned. The Falcons will pack the stands and the crowd will play a huge role in this match.
• Raritan at Madison
  • Prediction – Madison has a strong nucleus that is very well-coached. If Sophia Christoffers has been absolutely unstoppable this season, and will do the same against Raritan. Madison, at home, is a fun environment and this is Coach Fenton’s time to record yet another huge win in his illustrious career.

North 1, Group 2

1-Old Tappan hosted 2-Sparta in a battle between two top-10 teams in the state. Old Tappan was dominant from the very start, as they proceeded to overmatch the Spartans. Eva Curko recorded nine kills, while Julia Whaley crushed eight of her own. Addison Gioffre dished out 23 assists, giving her 958 for her career and is in the midst of her best season yet as a senior.

North 2, Group 2

3-Mendham traveled to 1-Lyndhurst and the Mendham Minutemen took the first set by the narrowest of margins. After Lyndhurst rebounded in set number two in a big way, the Golden Bears pulled away and coasted to the win. Lyndhurst earned their first sectional title since 1990, and it was a total team effort. Asya Akar crushed 10 kills, while Sofia Hechavarria and Yasemin Ugurlu combined for 13 kills. The Golden Bears also recorded 12 blocks and nine aces in the three-set affair. Senior setter Kiana Marizan handed out 20 assists, adding to her 1,200+ assist total for her career.

Central, Group 2

1-Governor Livingston hosted 3-Wall and the Governor Livingston Highlanders were on cruise control, seemingly from the get-go. Abby Kim went off for 14 kills, and both Eva Sottosanti and Sierra Isbirian floated in four aces apiece. Kim, by the way, is only a junior and has been very impressive since the start of her career. Anna Kramarchuk dished out 22 assists as the Highlanders coasted to a convincing two-set victory.

South, Group 2

2-Pinelands hosted 9-Timber Creek and this one was one of those Cinderella stories that ultimately came to a close. Pinelands subjugated Timber Creek in what was a milestone-filled affair. Senior hitter Jill Becker logged 11 kills, eclipsing the 600 milestone for her career. Olivia Shertenlieb handed out 19 assists, giving her 716 for the SEASON! The setter has notched 1,460 assists for her career and will look for more in their next matchup. This win ties the single-season program record for wins for the Wildcats.

GROUP 2 SEMIS:

• Lyndhurst at Old Tappan
  • Prediction – Old Tappan is 23-0, and has yet to show any signs of letting up on their dominant campaign this season. Look for NVOT to take care of business in short order, earning a berth in the Group 2 championship game. Coach Landeck will have her girls ready to go, and it is always hard to play at Old Tappan.
• Pinelands at Governor Livingston
  • Prediction – Speaking of no signs of letting up, Governor Livingston is firing on all cylinders. Expect the Highlanders to take a quick lead early and never look back. Abby Kim will have double-digits in kills again and will be the leading force for Governor Livingston.

North 1, Group 3

1-Ramapo hosted 3-Wayne Valley, in what was an all-out party for the Ramapo Raiders. Sara Wingfield crushed 14 kills to lead the way for ‘Po. Sophia Goldstein chipped in with five service aces, keeping Wayne Valley out of system. Junior setter Ella Petrevski handed out 16 assists, as she keeps creeping closer the 900-assist plateau.

North 2, Group 3

1-Millburn hosted 2-North Hunterdon in a match between two incredibly battle-tested foes. The ability for Millburn to spread the ball out evenly was the difference, as five Millers recorded kills. Divya Issac led the way with seven kills, to go along with seven digs. Lily Philipov and Ava Chen combined for 19 digs between the two of them. The defense, coupled with a balanced attack helped Millburn secure the sectional title.

Central, Group 3

1-Princeton hosted 3-Middletown South, and this was just, well, one of those matches that was pretty one-sided. The Little Tigers were led by junior outside-hitter Naomi Lygas. Her 11-kill performance gives her 826 for her career—again, she is a JUNIOR! Lois Matsukawa dished out 25 assists and she found her hitters from every spot on the court. As a team, Princeton mashed 30 kills in a two-set match…pretty good!

South, Group 3

1-Moorestown hosted 2-Hammonton and this was pretty much the Bethany Trzeciak show from the start. The senior outside-hitter tallied 10 kills for Moorestown, while Rima Takla recorded 12 digs. Junior setter Lindsay Bonavita handed out 21 assists, as the Quakers coasted to an easy victory.

GROUP 3 SEMIS:

• Millburn at Ramapo
  • Prediction – Millburn has been more battle-tested throughout the season, especially playing in the toughest division of the Super Essex Conference. The Essex County champs will should to see another round, and expect the Millers to claim a bid in the Group 3 championship game.
• Moorestown at Princeton
  • Prediction – Princeton will bring their strong serving game and Naomi Lygas will, yet again, lead the way for the Little Tigers. Look for Princeton to win this one in two relatively quick sets.

North 1, Group 4

1-Morristown hosted 2-Livingston in the N1G4 finals. Colonials were off to a strong start and never looked back, thanks to a strong offensive performance by Gwen Atkins. The senior right side-hitter mashed nine kills, while her sister Hailey chipped in with four of her own. Senior setter Bella Stephan tallied nine assists and will likely eclipse the 600-assist plateau in her next contest. Kacie Bush also tied her career-high with 2.5 blocks in the match.

North 2, Group 4

1-Westfield hosted 2-Union City in a match that was broadcast on Big State Sports! Ava Gaspard crushed seven kills while she and Catie Carayannopoulos combined for five blocks. Junior setter Emma Dengler handed out 20 assists, and the rest took care of itself. Westfield coasted to the win, and will face Morristown in a Group 4 semifinals rematch from a season ago.

Central, Group 4

1-Hunterdon Central hosted 2-Old Bridge in a three-set thriller. Ashley Markle recorded a double-double with 18 kills and 10 digs. Jannah Khalil continues her impressive freshman season, adding 12 more digs to her total. Maya Lupinski dished out 26 assists, as she eclipsed 600 assists—she is only a SOPHOMORE! Strong service helped give the Knights lots of easy opportunities to put the ball down, as they took down the 1-seed.

South, Group 4

1-Williamstown hosted 2-Southern, yet again, in another South, Group 4 title bout. For Williamstown, Addilyn Belcher and Gab Titus combined for 15 kills, more than the Southern team as a whole. Senior setter Cassie Guim handed out 14 assists, bringing her to within five assists of 900 for her career. Coach Sheppard has had strong Braves teams and always has an extremely fundamentally sound squad. This year’s team is absolutely no exception.

GROUP 4 SEMIS:

• Westfield at Morristown
  • Prediction – This match shapes up to be very intriguing. Both teams have lots of firepower, but the edge goes to Morristown at home. However, if Morristown’s defense doesn’t show up, it can be a long day for the Colonials. Morristown will pack the house in the big gymnasium, and look for the Colonials to take this one.
• Williamstown at Old Bridge
  • Prediction – Talk about two teams that do everything well. Williamstown and Old Bridge can do everything, and have what it takes to win a championship. With that being said, only one team can win and that will be the Williamstown Braves.

Non-Public A, North Semifinals

1-Immaculate Heart hosted 4-St. Elizabeth, and this one was all IHA. Seniors Eve Roman and Julia Sobilo each mashed seven kills. Roman and Maggie Polchin each tallied double-digits in digs, while senior setter Alessandra Nazor dished out 22 assists. The Blue Eagles got out to a big lead early, and rode the momentum through the final whistle.

2-Kent Place hosted 3-Mount St. Dominic, and the Kent Place Dragons used a balanced attack to defeat Mount St. Dominic. Four Dragons recorded at least four kills each. Alexandria Grinis recorded eight digs, while Abigail Werbel floated in 10 (yes 10) aces. Strong serving, coupled with the balanced attack helped Kent Place to take this one in relatively convincing fashion.

Non-Public A, South Semifinals

1-Paul VI hosted 4-St. John Vianney, and the Paul VI Eagles took town St. John Vianney in two sets. Kassadi Avent recorded nine kills to lead the charge for Paul VI. The 6-2 setting tandem of Maggie Carillo and Danielle Mascolo did a great job of finding their hitters. Another team with a balanced attack, Paul VI was able to play fundamentally sound and advance in the Non-Public A tournament.

2-Notre Dame hosted 3-Union Catholic in the Non-Public A, South Semifinals. Cassady Smith and Maia Cinca combined for 19 of Notre Dame’s 26 kills. Mia Ligammari and Keren Del Rosario ran the 6-2 to perfection, dishing out 19 assists between the two players. Junior libero Emily Deussing recorded 13 digs, reaching the 900-dig plateau in the win.

NON-PUBLIC A SEMIFINALS

• Kent Place at Immaculate Heart
  • IHA should win this one, as it is very tough for road teams to win in that gym and especially in a state tournament atmosphere.
• Notre Dame at Paul VI
  • Paul VI is definitely the favorite, and rightfully so. Look for the Eagles of Paul VI to take this match and earn a berth in the Non-Public A championship game.

Non-Public B, North Semifinals

1-St. Mary (Rutherford) hosted 2-DePaul and the top-seed got the win, thanks to a balanced offense. Noelle Savonije crushed eight kills, while Athena Goletsos dished out 18 assists. Thanks to a strong defensive effort all-around, the Gaels earned the win in very convincing fashion.

2-Montclair Kimberley hosted 6-Saddle River Day in a game that was led by two Montclair Kimberley hitters. Layla Brown and Layla Lynch (Layla², if you will) each mashed eight kills to lead the charge for the Cougars. Junior setter Mahala Weintraub tallied 16 assists, bringing her to 998 for her career as the Cougars held off Saddle River Day.

Non-Public B, South Semifinals

4-Rutgers Prep traveled to 1-Mother Seton as the Rutgers Prep Argonauts stunned the top seed in two sets. Aubrey Franz recorded 12 kills to lead the Argonauts. Giannabella Vinces found all of her hitters, and that showed with her 25 assists. Efficient hitting and some effective serving were the difference for Rutgers Prep.

2-Bishop Eustace hosted 6-Stuart Day, and the Bishop Eustace Crusaders rode a 13-kill performance by Hailey Mack to the finish line. The Crusaders floated in 12 aces, and the strong defense by Sophie Durham helped to hold off Stuart Day.

NON-PUBLIC B SEMIFINALS

• Montclair Kimberley at St. Mary (Rutherford)
  • Montclair Kimberley will ride Layla² to the upset victory over St. Mary (Rutherford). Their balanced attack is the key to this match, and if they can spread the ball around to different hitter, it will keep the defense guessing.
• Rutgers Prep at Bishop Eustace
  • After stunning top-seeded Mother Seton, look for Rutgers Prep to win this one. On the road, Rutgers Prep will need to stick to fundamentals and play their style of volleyball without letting Bishop Eustace dictate the tempo of the game.