BY AVERY PERSON
Sports Page Editor
At 7pm tomorrow night, the girls volleyball team will look to repeat as Central Jersey Group IV Champions when they face the number one seed Monroe.
The team has faced Monroe three times already this season, winning two out of three, including in the GMC Finals on October 24. “We have seen them enough, and we know what to expect,” said senior Julia Gervase. “As long as we play Old Bridge volleyball and focus on what we need to do, we can win this game.”
The team looks to repeat last year’s success when the Knights beat Monroe in Central Jersey semifinals and Hunterdon Central in the finals. “We know this is what we’ve been waiting for all season,” said freshman Ashley Markle. This year the girls defeated Hunterdon Central in the semis to earn their spot against Monroe in the finals.
In one of the most exciting matches of the season, the Knights beat Hunterdon Central in three sets on November 2. After dominating the first set, the team lost the second set before turning it around in the final set for the win. “Mental toughness was the biggest part in our success,” said junior Weronika Malinowski. “Even when we were down a couple of points, we always managed to get it back and not let it get the best of us.”
The student section helped play a pivotal role in the team’s momentum against Hunterdon Central. “Old Bridge always comes out on top when it comes to our crowd and when we have the DJ,” said Markle. “No other team does it like Old Bridge does and it gets us all pumped up for the game.”
Under the leadership of last year’s Red Division Coach of the Year, Andrew Hopman, the team continues to improve each year, compiling a 72-14 record over the past three years. “These past few games our coaches showed how much they trust us. Even when we lost a point, they always have faith in us that we will get it back,” said Malinowski. “They do not panic or automatically correct us, they let us as a team discuss what we believe would work for us best.”
The team hopes to repeat the success they had against Monroe in the straight sets win in the GMC finals. “The energy of the GMC game was unlike any other,” said Gervase. “If we go in with that mindset, it’s going to be a great game.”
Buy your ticket from the Athletics Office before you leave school today to gain entry into the game in Monroe at 7pm tomorrow.
Posted on 11/6/23
Photos by Ritee Karmacharya Chloe Fusco
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