The Verona High School volleyball team took on Kinnelon High School again on Wednesday night and it was the same, but different. When the two schools first met on September 13, it took Verona three sets to win. Last night it only took two, and the second was a 25-5 blowout. The win earned Verona the Section A Group 1 title and sets up a repeat of last year’s battle with Bogota High School for the Group 1 state championship.
The game ended in a barrage of service points by Madisyn Matthews, who had 20 on the evening with 22 assists. Hunter Coppola again used her 6’1″ height to full advantage, compiling 17 kills and six blocks. Carly Waterman led the team in aces, with four and digs, at eight.
“I think the key was to play together and believe in ourselves,” said Cameron Fuentez, a senior co-captain who plays libero for Verona. “That’s what the girls and I did really well today.”
The Group 1 championship will be played at William Patterson University’s Wightman Gym on Saturday beginning at 10:30 a.m. Bogota, which is the number 2 seed going into the game to Verona’s number 1, had bit of a bobble in sectionals, losing its first set against number 3 seed Rutherford 23-25 before taking the next two 25-12, 25-16. Bogota, which has a record of 26-2 this year, beat Verona in last year’s championship. The Lady Hillbillies are 29-0 on the season.
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Photos copyright Fred Goode. Used by permission.
