Needing a bounce back performance for both levels after the Union match, the Hilltoppers traveled to the Cranford Cougars for a divisional match-up. JV had lost twice last year to the Cougars, the last loss in the Union County Tournament in the Quarterfinal Round in a tight 3 game battle. Varsity had beaten Cranford 4 consecutive matches dating back to 2017, but each of those match-ups had been decided by a handful of points and 2 of those, in tight 3 game battles.
The JV Squad took their match 25-18, 25-21 using timely hitting and their serving production to set the tone and using their size in the front line to get some key points in each game. The Summit Lady Hilltoppers took control of game 1 near the midway point of game 1, opening up a 6 point cushion at 18-12 that they did not relinquish on the way to the 25-18 game 1 victory.
Junior Catherine Eldridge led the way for the Hilltoppers in game 1 with 5 kills on 5 swings while Jordan Parella distributed 6 assists. Olivia Lawlor and Jaclyn Szabados held the fort defensively with 2 blocks and 3 digs respectively to lead the Hilltoppers.
Game 2 saw the Hilltoppers trail the Cougars 18-15 late after numerous lead changes through most of the game. With the Maroon and White's offense stalling and the service game inconsistent, it looked like Cranford would be able to exploit the opportunity and force the 3rd game. But Eldridge came through again with 4 of her 6 kills late and Rebekah Thompson hit for 3 aces to give Summit the lead late and the win 25-21. Of note, Sarah Noa led the way defensively in game 2 with 3 digs.
JV will take their show on the road to New Providence on Wednesday in search of their 6th win.
VARSITY COMES BACK FROM DEFICIT LATE TO STUN COUGARS IN 3
The Hilltopper - Cougar rivalry is a more recent phenomenon as the Cranford squad was part of the Watchung Division until recently. Summit had very little success against the Cougars until recently, with the Top taking the last 3 consecutive matches. This has been a highly competitive and close rivalry of late with both teams usually locked up in games settled by 5 points or less. The first match-up of the 2019 season was no different as the Hilltoppers came out of Cougar Country with a 27-29, 25-18, 25-23 victory.
Game 1 was a battle of separate mini runs by each team. Summit took a 3-3 tie and turned it to a 7-3 lead behind two kills by Sarah Maldonado and one by Krista-Ann Clapp. Cranford then went on a 5-2 run to cut the lead to 9-8 before a service break gave SHS a two point cushion. That break sparked a 4-0 run by SHS led by two aces by Abby Doyle and a Sylvie Goudreau kill. At 14-8, it seemed all but academic for the Hilltoppers but with Cranford, that just wasn't going to be the case.
A 3-0 run began the Cougar comeback, stalled only because of a Cranford hitting error, 15-11 Summit. The teams split the next 4 points, 17-13 SHS. The Cougars then ripped off 5 straight points and the momentum had officially swung (17-18 Cranford). Another Cougar error gave the ball back to the Maroon and White and the score was knotted up at 18. From the moment they held the 14-8 lead and Cranford called a time-out, SHS was outscored 16-8 and saw themselves down 22-24 and facing a two game points.
Call it divine intervention or an overzealous middle blocker, but off an overpass by Summit that was unplayable and would have given the Cougars the game 1 win, a net violation was called instead on Cranford and Summit had new life at 23-24... and no more subs so the front line consisted of Sarah Brennan, Meghan Tarashuk and Goudreau. With the ball in their half of the court, the Cougars hit the ball out again, tying the score at 24. A down ball hit error by the Hilltoppers gave the lead back to the Cougars and another game point, their 3rd, but, yet again, another hitting error by Cranford had the score knotted up at 25 and the Summit squad was incredibly still alive. The Cougars provided SHS with their first match point off another hitting error but the Hilltoppers returned the favor and the scoreboard read 26-26. Kyra Guenther was devastated after a 2nd ball error gave the Cranford team their 4th match point but 30 seconds later she tipped over a high pass that went down for the kill to save another match point, 27-27. Summit's luck ran out on the next two points and the Cougars had finally completed the comeback at 29-27.
With the match on the line in game 2, Summit took control again midway through the game and saw themselves up 19-14 after an 11-5 run saw a one point deficit at 8-9 turn into an insurmountable 5 point lead late. The Hilltoppers closed it out, forcing a deciding game 3, outscoring Cranford 6-4 despite having run out of subs again.
The deciding game was very similar to game one with Cranford taking control of the game near the midway point after a Summit hitting error had the teams knotted up at 12. A hitting error and an ace by the Cougars forced a quick Summit time-out down 12-14 and the team got a kill by setter Kasey Walsh to get serve back at 13-14. Two kills by Cranford and a Hilltopper hitting error quickly had the squad down 13-17 and Summit's final time-out soon followed.
The timeout worked again as Kiera Stocks passed up a perfect ball that Walsh set to Maldonado who put it down for Summit's 14th point. Teams traded points with off-setting kills and Cranford looked the better side to win with a 19-15 lead. But a Cougar hitting error sparked a Summit 5-2 run that saw Gabbie Guidetti score on an ace and kill and Erin Vostal drew an ace to get Summit to the edge at a 21-21 score.
Guidetti became a central focus of the game at that point as the team ran out of subs and the DS had to swing out of the OH slot for the remainder of the match. Next play, hitting error Guidetti, 21-22 Cranford. Cougars rip a serve to Brennan who does not surrender the ace but the subsequent pass was errant. However, Stocks stepped in and set up a hittable ball to Guidetti who ripped a kill to zone 5 off the Cranford defender, 22-22. Walsh nailed a serve that forced a free ball return, Guidetti another attack, dig Cougars but right to Goudreau who pushed it down to zone 1, kill, 24-22. Walsh another rip to Cranford side of the court, Cranford sent easy ball back to SHS who turned to Goudreau for the match. Just out... 24-23.
Cougars sent tough serve to Guidetti who sent a pass to 10 foot line. Walsh tracked it down and set Sarah Brennan out of the back row. Swing, hit, off Cougar DS, kill, point, match Hilltoppers 25-23.
Summit hit for 12 aces, 5 of which by Sarah Brennan who also led the team with a 2.54 serve rating. Sarah Maldonado was simply outstanding with 11 kills from 23 swings with only 1 error. She was the team leader in kill % (47.8) and efficiency (.435). Kiera Stocks was a stalwart defensive force with a team leading 13 digs, 2.30 pass rating and had only 1 passing error the entire match. Maldonado was the top point scorer with 11 points and Sylvie Goudreau followed suit with 8 points (7 kills and 1 block) .
Summit will try to go back up over .500 Wednesday against Division rival New Providence, a team the Hilltoppers beat for the first time in a while last year.
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