Threematch: Union Catholic Volleyball Faces Immaculate Heart Academy in Final for Third Straight Season

If you play the same team enough times, your chances of finally beating that opponent increase. The girls' volleyball team will get another opportunity to see if it can beat the best team in state after advancing in Thursday night's Non-Public semifinals at Bloomfield High School.

The second-seeded Vikings were dominant in ousting third-seeded Holy Angels Academy of Demarest 25-15, 25-19.

Union Catholic, which improved to 21-4, will next take on Immaculate Heart Academy of Washington Township in Saturday's 1:30 p.m. final at William Paterson University in Wayne.

This will be the third straight season the two will meet in the final. IHA defeated Union Catholic 25-8, 25-16 two years ago and 25-14, 25-14 last year.

The top-seeded Blue Eagles improved to 24-1 Thursday night eliminating fourth-seeded Mother Seton of Clark 25-22, 25-16.

"We have to play with a lot of confidence and not be intimidated," said Union Catholic standout junior middle Annyssa Herlihy. "We feel that we have a good shot of playing well against them."

IHA graduated the best player in the state last year: 6'5" senior middle blocker Ariel Scott. But it is still a formidable team. Her younger sister, junior Raquel, is among the team leaders.

Scott had nine kills and four digs, while teammate Danielle Michaels produced four aces, 10 service points and five kills in the win over Mother Seton.

Nevertheless, Union Catholic's Herlihy said, "We feel really confident." Herlihy had five kills, seven digs and four aces versus the Holy Angels.

"We have to maintain our composure and stick to our game plan," Union Catholic head coach Nancy Saggio said.

A big part of the Vikings' game plan is setting up the ball for standout junior outside hitter Julie Monroy. Among the state's leaders in kills, Monroy added 16 more Thursday night in addition to three digs and one ace.

"If Julie gets hot that will be important," Saggio said. "IHA may not be as strong without Ariel, but they're still pretty good. I don't think we'll be as intimidated as we were in the past by them."

Both Monroy and Herlihy played well in last year's final against IHA and will need to do so again if Union Catholic is to have any chance at pulling off the upset. All but one of IHA's wins have come in two games.

Monroy's first kill in Game 1 tied the score at 1-1 vs. Holy Angels. Her second one put the Vikings up 6-1, with Herlihy producing five service points in a row at that point.

"Julie just adds so much to our game," Saggio said. "She will always make something happen that will get us going. She can score points in so many different ways."

The closest Holy Angels got in Game 1 was 15-8 before consecutive kills by Monroy made it 17-8. A kill by Herlihy was the game's final point.

After trailing Game 2 by a 4-1 score, Holy Angels went on a 5-0 run behind several lefty kills by Olivia Kolodka to take a 6-4 lead. The Bergen County school's final lead was 8-7 before Union Catholic tied the game for the fifth and final time at 8-8.

Consecutive aces by Herlihy put Union Catholic up 19-11.

Holy Angels refused to quit and produced five more consecutive points to pull to within 23-18. An ace by Herlihy ended the game and match.

Union Catholic senior setter Lisa Birritteri had two kills, one dig, 15 assists and one ace. Laren Faria, a junior, produced five service points and five digs.

Also playing well for the Vikings was sophomore Kianna Hawkins, who had three assists, two kills and two digs.

Mother Seton finished 24-4 and Holy Angels 17-11.

NOTES: Union Catholic was the first school from Union County to win a state championship when the Vikings defeated Lacordaire in the 2005 Non-Public final.

Roselle Catholic was the second when the Lions downed IHA in the 2006 Non-Public final. Cranford was the third when the Cougars defeated Northern Valley Demarest in the 2008 Group 2 final.

Westfield is the only other Union County team to reach a state championship match. The Blue Devils fell to Hunterdon Central in the 2002 Group 4 final.

Union Catholic is 1-6 in state finals, while Roselle Catholic and Cranford are 1-0 and Westfield 0-1.

2010 NON-PUBLIC

GIRLS' VOLLEYBALL

SEEDING:

1-IHA. 2-Union Catholic. 3-Holy Angels. 4-Mother Seton.

5-DePaul. 6-Mount St. Dominic. 7-Kent Place. 8-Bishop Ahr.

9-Red Bank Catholic. 10-Holy Family. 11-Gloucester Catholic.

12-Our Lady of Mercy. 13-St. Patrick. 14-Oak Knoll. 15-Lacordaire.

16-Newark Academy. 17-Eastern Christian. 18-St. Joseph, Hammonton.

19-Hudson Catholic. 20-St. Dominic. 21-St. Mary's, Rutherford.

22-St. Vincent.

PRELIMINARY ROUND:

Wednesday, Nov. 3

Eastern Christian 2, Newark Academy 1

Our Lady of Mercy 2, St. Mary's, Rutherford 0

St. Patrick 2, St. Dominic 1

Oak Knoll 2, Hudson Catholic 1

Gloucester Catholic 2, St. Vincent 0

Lacordaire 2, St. Joseph, Hammonton 1

FIRST ROUND:

Friday, Nov. 5

IHA 2, Eastern Christian 0

Bishop Ahr 2, Red Bank Catholic 1

DePaul 2, Our Lady of Mercy 0

Mother Seton 2, St. Patrick 0

Holy Angels 2, Oak Knoll 0

Mount St. Dominic 2, Gloucester Catholic 0

Kent Place 2, Holy Family 0

Union Catholic 2, Lacordaire 0

QUARTERFINALS:

Tuesday, Nov. 9

IHA 2, Bishop Ahr 0

Mother Seton 2, DePaul 0

Holy Angels 2, Mount St. Dominic 0

Union Catholic 2, Kent Place 0

SEMIFINALS:

Thursday, Nov. 11

At Bloomfield

IHA def. Mother Seton 25-22, 25-16

Union Catholic def. Holy Angels 25-15, 25-19

FINAL:

Saturday, Nov. 13

At William Paterson University in Wayne

2-Union Catholic (21-4) vs. 1-IHA (24-1), 1:30 p.m.