The Program had the usual tough task this week in the Watchung Division with matches versus the top 3 teams in the conference. Currently, Westfield sits in first with a top 10 ranking in the state, Union Catholic sits 2nd and GL sits 3rd early in the conference schedule.
Westfield on the road proved to be a rough start for the Hilltoppers as the squad started off slow and fell to the Blue Devils 25-11 in set 1. Set 2 was much more emblematic of what the team can do despite another slow start that saw the squad go down 8-1 early but fight back to 5-9 and got as close as 12-15 after a 5-0 run started with a Claire kill, 2 Rachel aces and a Lily tip kill and block. But WF responded with a mini run of their own which kept the Summit girls at bay and the closest SHS got the rest of the way was 15-20 after another Lily kill and a hitting error by the Blue Devils before succumbing 25-16.
Union Catholic visited the Hilltoppers on Wednesday and for the 2nd straight match SHS got off to a slow start, looking at a deficit of 7-1 early on. Midway through the set, UC still held an 11-3 lead and a late run by Summit made the final score 12-25, a very similar result to the WF match. But the 2nd set proved to be a bit of a different script as the Hilltoppers found themselves in an even battle in the early rotations, down only 5-7 and with the ball in their hands. An 8-0 run however switched that around and the Top saw a close match turn to a 5-15 score line which would be difficult to overcome. But overcome it they almost did with a 9-2 run which saw Rachel hit for 2 kills, Claire for 1 and Madison hurt the UC side with 3 aces and force a TO by the visitors at 14-17. UC broke serve and extended the lead to 19-14 but yet again the Top got back into it with a Claire kill and a Nadia ace to get to within 3 at 16-19. But again, the consistency of the Vikings was too much in the end and the early 8-0 run did the damage late as the Hilltoppers fell 25-16.
Governor Livingston hosted the Hilltoppers for the final regular season match of the week and the home side must have taken the Hilltoppers lightly as SHS jumped on the Highlanders early holding a 9-3 lead with a full team effort as Claire and Madison notched a couple of kills and Rachel added another later in the run along with an ace by Madison to get SHS off to a great start. GL called a TO and it seemed to settle the squad as the home side went on a 3-1 run but this time the Hilltoppers responded rather than faltering and a few rotations later, Summit extended the lead to 16-8 and later 19-10 off the attacks of Madison, Ava and Claire (3 kills), the serving of Nadia (1 ace) and the defense of Rylen, Liv and Nadia (4 digs). The set seemed seemingly over at that point but GL lived up to its top 3 ranking and won 7 of the next 9 points to crawl back to within 4 at 17-21. Madison got a tip kill to see the lead go to 22-17 but another GL run of 4-1 had the home side all the way back at 23-22 down. SHS needed a play and they got it with a perfect serve reception pass by Madison which led to a good attack by Lily. GL dug it but could not muster much in return and Lily yet again got involved with a dig off a roll shot which Nadia quickly ran to Claire for a kill that led to set point for the Top. A Rylen serve led to a hitting error by GL and set 1 was in the books at 25-22. The only concerning thing was that GL had out-scored the Hilltoppers 14-9 in the back end of the set so would that trend continue into set 2? In short, yes.
Set 2 saw the Hilltoppers go down early 10-2 but SHS got it back to reasonable range at 5-15 but another GL run forced another TO by Summit at 7-20. The emphasis was already on the 3rd set and to assert the game play that had carried them into a set 1 victory.
Early on it seemed that the set 1 team was back. A kill by Madison and a hitting error by GL had the team only down by 2 at 7-9 but a burst by GL saw that lead expand to 13-8 and froce a Martins TO. Off the time-out, SHS began to play even with the GL side but at 13-19, Summit would need more than just match the home side. Unfortunately, a Summit hitting error and a suffered ace by the squad seemed to be the final nails in the match as GL built a 21-13 lead. And then Lily got a kill which led to Madison serving and forcing an errant attack by the Highlanders. Still a long way to go especially after a kill by the home side to see SHS trail 15-22 but then the squad found itself again. Rylen stepped up and served GL into trouble forcing 3 hitting errors and then a long rally ensued which saw Madison and Liv dig 3 balls which led to a Madison kill and just like that, 19-22 was on the scoreboard. A controversial call erased a point for the Top and the subsequent play had GL up 23-19 and another kill by the Highlanders looked like it was going to take the fight out of the GOATS at 24-19 but this squad has not wilted all season and would not now.
Nadia setter dump, 20-24. Nadia serves up a good serve and Madison got a dig which Ava attacked but GL dug. GL generated a good attack but Madison dug it again and this time Claire tried to put it down to no avail but it did lead to a Claire and Rachel attacks which GL could not do anything with and after Claire dug a hard driven dump, Madison put it away from the backrow, 21-24. Nadia ace and Nadia again forcing GL into a hitting error, 23-24 and GL TO. Off the TO, a Nadia ace like a dagger to GL, 24 all. The next serve was handled well by the Highlanders and they ran a good option but Rachel stifled it at the point of attack. No point yet but the next sequence is what the Top's strength is at this point. Rylen dug a ball which was attacked by Claire, defended and Madison dug the next attack which was then funneled to Ava for the kill and SHS had just fought off 4 match points and earned one of their own. Although the team could not close it out, the team proved to itself that it had the depth and the talent to not only compete but win against top competition. Will this lesson stick? We will all find out this week with Kent Place, New Providence and Elizabeth on the road this week.
Team Serving % - 90.7 Team Ace % - 15.3
BEST SERVE RATING - Nadia 2.32, Madison 2.28, Rachel 2.18
MOST ACES - Nadia 8, Rachel 4, Madison 3
BEST RECEIVE RATING- Rylen 1.81, Madison 1.78, Alta 1.68
MOST PERFECT PASSES - Madison 17, Alta 8, Rylen 7
MOST KILLS - Claire 14, Madison 13, Lily 10
BEST EFFICIENCY - Lily .276, Rachel .250, Claire .125
BEST KILL % - Lily 34.5, Rachel 33.3, Madison 29.5
MOST DIGS - Claire 19, Nadia 16, Madison 15
MOST BLOCKS - Ava 3, Lily 2, Rachel/Claire 1
MOST ASSISTS - Nadia 46
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