Union Catholic Volleyball Moves Forward in State Tournament Play

With a 14-match winning streak that includes seven straight two-game victories, the Union Catholic girls’ volleyball team moves forward in state tournament play with a great deal of momentum.

Sort of like the way a pass came from the back from senior libero Catie Finnegan up front to senior setter Colleen Sweeney, who then sets up senior outside hitter Emily Wilman for another one of her thunderous, team-leading kills that produces yet another key Viking point.

DePaul got a big-time dose of that Tuesday night at Union Catholic High School in Scotch Plains as the visiting and seventh-seeded Spartans were trumped by second-seeded Union Catholic 25-10, 25-10 in a Non-Public quarterfinal.

“I think our team is amazing now because we’re all playing together,” said Wilman, who sparked the Vikings with nine kills and three digs.

Union Catholic improved to 21-4, while DePaul’s season came to a conclusion at 13-9.

Union Catholic will next play third-seeded Bishop Ahr (22-5) in the first semifinal at Millburn Thursday at 5:30 p.m. The second semifinal there pits fourth-seeded Roselle Catholic (16-6) vs. top-seeded and defending champion Immaculate Heart Academy (26-1) of Washington Township (Bergen County).

The semifinal winners will play for the Non-Public state championship Saturday at noon at William Paterson University in Wayne. In last year’s final there, IHA downed Union Catholic 25-8, 25-16.

Union Catholic was the first team from Union County to win a state championship when it captured the Non-Public crown in 2005. Cranford was the second when it won Group 2 last year.

In last year’s Non-Public semifinals, IHA eliminated Roselle Catholic 25-11, 25-20 after Union Catholic topped Holy Angels 17-25, 25-17, 25-16. They also took place at Millburn.

Just like last year, IHA is the top seed, Union Catholic the second seed and Roselle Catholic the fourth seed.

Union Catholic did well to repeat as the Union County Tournament champion, winning it this year as the top seed.

Since the Vikings did not lose to a single Union County opponent – their losses were to Hunterdon Central, Science Park of Newark, Livingston and Old Tappan – they must have also captured a Union County Conference title as well.

So county and conference championships are neatly tucked away. Now it’s time to go for the school’s second state championship.

IHA – with its only loss coming to an out-of-state opponent - is the favorite and has the best player in the state in senior outside hitter Ariel Scott (6-5), who will continue playing on scholarship at the No. 1-ranked college team in the country – two-time defending national champion Penn State. The Nittany Lions will be going for their 91st straight win Friday night at home against nationally-ranked Big Ten Conference rival Illinois.

Before Union Catholic can think about IHA, the Vikings must get past a very good Bishop Ahr of North Edison squad. The teams have not met this season.

“We’ve been doing better and better each match,” Wilman said. “Our passing has really improved. Without passing you can’t do anything.”

To say Union Catholic dominated DePaul would be an understatement. The Vikings jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead in the first game and it appeared that they might win it by shutout.

Standout sophomore outside hitter Julie Monroy produced eight kills and two aces and is second on the team in kills behind Wilman.

Sweeney contributed 17 assists, four digs and two kills as the Vikings – after trailing 6-3 – took care of DePaul in dominating fashion in the second game as well.

Bishop Ahr should prove more challenging than the Passaic County school Union Catholic put away Tuesday night.

"Coach (assistant Pamela Sawicki) went and scouted Bishop Ahr, so we’re going to break down our information,” Union Catholic head coach Nancy Saggio said. “We’ll probably have to serve aggressively and continue to quicken our attack. If you keep going deeper you have to continue to step it up.”

IHA was ranked No. 1 in the state and Union Catholic No. 16 in The Star-Ledger Top 20 poll that was published Nov. 2.

The Blue Eagles lost their No. 1 ranking in 2008 and 2007 before heading into state tournament play after falling in the finals of the Bergen County Tournament. That didn’t happen this year as IHA prevailed over Old Tappan 25-13, 25-12, with Scott producing a team-high 17 kills.

Also contributing for Union Catholic in its win over DePaul was Finnegan with five digs; sophomore middle Annyssa Herlihy with two digs, 12 service points and two aces;  senior middle Gerianna Pinto with three kills and sophomore defensive specialist Kelly Schulhafer with six digs, five service points and one ace.

Junior middle Alyssa Corini had four kills, one block, one dig, two service points and one ace for the Spartans. Sophomore outside hitter Samantha DuBois had one kill, three digs and 10 assists.

Senior Adriana Mariella added five kills and three digs; sophomore Gabrielle Mariella had four digs and senior Kelly Tomlinson produced five digs and one service point. 

GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL NON-PUBLIC STATE TOURNAMENT

SEEDS: 1-Immaculate Heart. 2-Union Catholic. 3-Bishop Ahr. 4-Roselle Catholic. 5-Mother Seton. 6-Holy Family. 7-DePaul. 8-Mount St. Dominic.

9-Marylawn. 10-Our Lady of Mercy. 11-Hawthorne Christian. 12-Oak Knoll. 13-Newark Academy. 14-St. Vincent. 15-Mary Help of Christians.

16-Montclair Immaculate. 17-Hudson Catholic.

FIRST ROUND:

Nov. 3 – at Montclair Immaculate   

Montclair Immaculate def. Hudson Catholic 25-10, 25-14

SECOND ROUND:

Nov. 6 – at the higher seeds

Immaculate Heart def. Hudson Catholic 25-5, 25-5

Mount St. Dominic def. Marylawn 25-16, 25-17

Mother Seton def. Oak Knoll 25-9, 25-10

Roselle Catholic def. Newark Academy 25-10, 25-19

Bishop Ahr won by default over St. Vincent

Holy Family def. Hawthorne Christian 25-22, 27-25, 25-16

DePaul def. Our Lady of Mercy 25-19, 25-20

Union Catholic def. Mary Help of Christians 25-7, 25-11

QUARTERFINALS:

Nov. 10 – at the higher seeds

Roselle Catholic def. Mother Seton 25-16, 25-16

Immaculate Heart def. Mount St. Dominic 25-12, 25-17

Bishop Ahr def. Holy Family 25-9, 25-12

Union Catholic def. DePaul 25-10, 25-10

SEMIFINALS:

Nov. 12 at Millburn

3-Bishop Ahr (22-5) vs. 2-Union Catholic (21-4), 5:30 p.m.

4-Roselle Catholic (16-6) vs. 1-Immaculate Heart (26-1), 7 p.m.

FINAL:

Nov. 14 at William Paterson University in Wayne

Semifinal winners, noon 

UNION CATHOLIC VIKINGS (21-4, 14 in a row)

RESULTS/schedule:

Sept. 11 (H) Union Catholic 2, Summit 0 – 25-14, 25-14

Sept. 17 (A) Hunterdon Central 2, Union Catholic 0 – 15-25, 20-25

Sept. 22 (H) Union Catholic 2, New Providence 0 – 25-15, 25-8

Sept. 24 (A) Union Catholic 2, Rahway 1 – 23-25, 25-20, 25-20

Sept. 25 (H) Union Catholic 2, Roselle Catholic 0 – 25-20, 25-7

Sept. 28 (H) Science Park 2, Union Catholic 1 – 24-26, 27-25, 19-25

Sept. 29 (A) Livingston 2, Union Catholic 0 – 19-25, 16-25

Sept. 30 (H) Union Catholic 2, Plainfield 0 – 25-6, 25-8

Oct. 1 (A) Union Catholic 2, Roselle 0 – 25-11, 25-12

Oct. 3 (A) Union Catholic 2, Westfield 0 – 25-11, 25-22

Oct. 5 (H) Old Tappan 2, Union Catholic 0 – 9-25, 25-27

Oct. 7 (H) Union Catholic over West Morris – forfeit win

Oct. 9 (H) Union Catholic 2, Scotch Plains 1 – 22-25, 25-16, 25-17

Oct. 10 (H) Union Catholic 2, Paramus 1 – 25-20, 19-25, 25-23

Oct. 15 (H) Union Catholic 2, Johnson 0 – 25-12, 25-17

Oct. 16 (H) Union Catholic 2, Plainfield 0 – 25-12, 25-11 – UCT first

Oct. 19 (A) Union Catholic 2, Linden 0 – 25-18, 25-13

Oct. 20 (A) Union Catholic 2, Cranford 1 – 19-25, 25-17, 25-17

Oct. 21 (A) Union Catholic 2, Benedictine 0 – 25-4, 25-18

Oct. 22 (H) Union Catholic 2, Oak Knoll 0 – 25-10 25-9

Oct 23 (H) Union Catholic 2, Union 0 – 25-18, 25-15 – UCT quarters

Oct. 27 (H) Union Catholic 2, Scotch Plains 0 – 25-18, 25-11 – UCT semis

Oct. 29 (H) Union Catholic 2, Cranford 0 – 25-18, 25-21 – UCT final

Nov. 6 (H) Union Catholic 2, Mary Help of Christians 0 – 25-7, 25-11 – Non-Public second round

Nov. 10 (H) Union Catholic 2, DePaul 0 – 25-10, 25-10 – Non-Public quarters

Nov. 12 vs. Bishop Ahr, 5:30 p.m., at Millburn – Non-Public semifinals

If Union Catholic defeats Bishop Ahr, then the Vikings will play in the final for the second straight season.

Nov. 14 The Non-Public final is noon at William Paterson University in Wayne.