The city rivals used to meet twice a year in the Mountain Division until the Royals moved up to the Watchung Division in 2018. The matchups favored the usually tough Royals who always seemed to have 1 or 2 potent outside hitters to overpower the Hilltoppers. In 2016, the Hilltoppers shocked the county as the #4 ranked Royals lost at home just prior to their semi-final match in the Union County Tournament to Summit (2-1) after SHS had pushed them to three games in their first matchup at Summit.
In 2017, the Royals took both matches, 25-12,25-21 and 25-22, 25-21, in which SHS managed to score only 41 points in those 2 events. In 2018 and 19 the outcomes were vastly different as the Hilltoppers seemed to have the better offensive depth and it showed in the 2 match results, both Hilltopper wins by scores of 25-17, 25-19 and in 2019 by tallies of 25-13, 25-19. SHS scored 70 points in both matches combined, averaging 19 kills and 13.5 aces per match.
This will be the first and only meeting in regular season play for the cross-town rivals which will go a long way in showing whether the Summit offense can live up to expectations set by their win versus New Providence.
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