County Champions: Union Catholic Girls' Volleyball Takes First Place

The student athletes on Union Catholic High School's girls' volleyball team knew that beating Cranford a third straight year in the county tournament championship match was going to be a major challenge. But unlike last year, there was the motivation of having lost to the Cougars in the regular season.

Back on Sept. 22 the visiting Vikings came from behind to tie the match at one game apiece, but ultimately fell in three games. Friday night at Kean University's Harwood Arena in Union in the Union County Tournament final, Union Catholic came all the way back.

After Cranford edged the Vikings 28-26 to win the first game, Union Catholic came back from a 16-7 deficit to claim the second game 25-22 and then rallied from a 13-8 disadvantage to capture the third and deciding game 25-16. Once again, the Vikings found a way to win another county championship.

Head coach Nancy Saggio called a timeout when Cranford went ahead 16-7 in the second game. At that point, the Cougars were just nine points away from winning the match in two games.

"In the second game we called a timeout and told the girls that we've been in this situation before," assistant varsity and junior varsity coach Pam Sawicki said in a telephone interview. "We told them that we were down to Westfield and Union before and came back to win. We snapped out of our funk and had a big turnaround."

Leading the program to its third UCT title in a row, fourth in six years and eighth overall were juniors Julie Monroy and Annyssa Herlihy and senior setter Lisa Birritteri, who is one of four team captains along with fellow seniors Samantha Gonzalez, Teresa Pollock and Ashley Sporer. Monroy finished with 22 kills, five digs and three aces; Herlihy with six kills, six digs and seven aces and Birritteri with 23 assists, two aces and three digs. 

Second-seeded Union Catholic improved to 18-4, while top-seeded Cranford fell to 16-7. Both teams now turn their focus to the state tournament. Union Catholic is the second seed in Non-Public,  defending champion Immaculate Heart is the top seed, and Cranford is the top seed in Group 2 South.

With the win Friday night, Union Catholic became the only lower-seeded team to win a match in the entire Union County Tournament.

"Winning the second match took so much out of us and the first match was real close, too," Sawicki said. "In the third game we lost a little bit in the beginning and then Annyssa's serves snapped us out of it. We got hot again at that point."

A 6-0 run in the third game following the 13-8 deficit was led by the serving of junior Iibero Lauren Faria. Monroy had three kills in the streak. Another kill by Monroy and three straight aces by Herlihy put Union Catholic ahead 20-14. A kill and an ace by senior middle Katie Knorr gave Cranford a 12-7 lead.

Birriteri produced seven straight service points to pull Union Catholic to within 16-15 in the second game. In that stretch, Cranford lost two points on rotation violations.

Points at the net by senior outside hitter Alex Bizub and junior middle Izzy Acton put the Cougars ahead 21-16 before Herlihy's serving eventually gave Union Catholic a 23-21 advantage.

Cranford, which has now reached the last four finals, captured its last UCT crown in 2007 when it defeated defending champion Westfield 25-18, 25-22 at Westfield. The 2006 and 2007 UCT finals were held at Westfield, with the Blue Devils defeating Union Catholic 25-19, 25-21 in the 2006 title match.

In the regular season match at Cranford five weeks ago, Union Catholic fell 25-20, 23-25, 25-15. In the 2008 UCT final at Union Catholic, the Vikings defeated the defending champion Cougars 26-24, 17-25, 25-22. In the 2009 UCT final at Union Catholic, the Vikings downed the Cougars in two games, winning 25-18, 25-21.

Friday was the first time the UCT final was held at Kean University's Harwood Arena.

NOTES: Union Catholic also won the Junior Varsity Union County Tournament championship. It defeated Union 25-19, 25-23 in Friday night's final at Kean. Union Catholic was the second seed and Union the ninth seed.

Leading the Vikings to victory were junior outside hitter Caroline Valenzano, junior middle Kathleen Sullivan and junior setter Gabby Aquino.

Sawicki, now in her 12th season as the JV coach, also led Union Catholic to county championships in 2001, 2005 and 2007. Sawicki is a 1996 Union Catholic graduate who played for Saggio her junior and senior seasons. Saggio is in her 16th year as the varsity head coach.

GIRLS' VOLLEYBALL UNION COUNTY TOURNAMENT

SEEDING: 1-Cranford. 2-Union Catholic. 3-New Providence. 4-Union. 5-Summit. 6-Rahway. 7-Westfield. 8-Elizabeth. 9-Kent Place. 10-St. Patrick. 11-Oak Knoll. 12-Linden. 13-Scotch Plains. 14-Roselle Catholic. 15-Dayton. 16-Johnson. 17-Roselle. 18-Plainfield.

PRELIMINARY ROUND:

Friday, Oct. 15:

Johnson def. Roselle 27-25, 25-12

Dayton def. Plainfield 25-22, 25-21

FIRST ROUND:

Wednesday, Oct. 20

Cranford def. Johnson 25-8, 25-20

Elizabeth def. Kent Place 25-21, 25-14

Union def. Scotch Plains 25-21, 25-22

Summit def. Linden 25-23, 25-12

Rahway def. Oak Knoll 25-13, 21-25, 25-17

New Providence def. Roselle Catholic 19-25, 25-23, 25-13

Westfield def. St. Patrick 25-17, 25-21

Union Catholic def. Dayton 25-14, 25-8

QUARTERFINALS:

Friday, Oct. 22

Union def. Summit 25-15, 25-16

Cranford def. Elizabeth 2-0 (scores not posted)

New Providence def. Rahway 25-11, 25-22

Union Catholic def. Westfield 25-21, 25-23

SEMIFINALS:

Wednesday, Oct. 27

At Roselle Catholic

Union Catholic def. New Providence 25-16, 25-16

Cranford def. Union 19-25, 25-17, 25-11

FINAL:

Friday, Oct. 29

At Kean University

Union Catholic def. Cranford 26-28, 25-22, 25-16

UCT CHAMPIONS SINCE 2000:

2010 – Union Catholic def. Cranford 26-28, 25-22, 25-16 in final.

2009 – Union Catholic def. Cranford 25-18, 25-21 in final.

2008 – Union Catholic def. Cranford 26-24, 17-25, 25-22 in final.

2007 – Cranford def. Westfield 25-18, 25-22 in final.

2006 – Westfield def. Union Catholic 25-19, 25-21 in final.

2005 – Union Catholic def. Rahway 25-22, 25-22 in final.

2004 – Rahway def. New Providence 25-21, 25-11 in final.

2003 – Elizabeth def. Union Catholic 25-21, 16-25, 25-18, 25-20 in final.

2002 – Union Catholic

2001 – Union Catholic

2000 – Union Catholic