Team opens season with loss to Voorhees
By: John E. Powers
The Hillsborough High School second-year girls’ volleyball team expects to be better this year. And with one more year of playing behind them, and the addition of sophomore transfer Christina Galera, the Raiders could be as good as a .500 team.
The team did lose its season-opener to Voorhees last Friday in straight sets, but there’s a long season ahead of the team 20 games remained after the Voorhees opener.
"Last year, it was about teaching them good techniques so they didn’t pick up bad habits," said second-year coach Todd Sudol, who led the HHS boys’ swimming team to a state title last winter and also coaches the Raider boys’ volleyball team in the spring. "Now they have more advanced techniques and a more advanced style of playing with our serve. There’s more power with our hitting, more accurate passing, better blocking and an improvement in our all-around game."
The team received a big boost over the summer when they learned that Galera, a transfer from Puerto Rico, would be joining them. She will be the team’s starting setter, allowing Sudol to move senior Zakiya Mason to opposite where she can set, hit and block. The team will also be able to run a 5-1 offense that will enable the Raiders to rely on Galera to be their lone setter on the court.
"We’ll be able to maximize the amount of hitters, which is one of our strengths," Sudol said. "Christina was the varsity setter for her high school team, so she already has an understanding of the 5-1. She knows all the plays, all the calls. She knows where the hitters are going to be when she sets the ball and the hitters are responsible for being there. She’s very accurate, works the court and rarely makes mistakes."
Most of the returning players worked on their skills throughout the winter and summer, which will also help.
"I think we’re a lot better," junior hitter Patty Manhart said. "We’re more skilled and our conditioning is better. You can tell now that we know what we’re doing. We know more of our skills and we know how to help each other out."
Most of the 10-player varsity team played last year, including Mason, senior hitter Jessica Anerella, senior hitter Christina DiClemente, senior middle blockers Ali John and Caitlyn Megill and senior setter Alexa Monahan. Junior setter Shana Ramandi and sophomore hitters Sara DiClemente and Lindsey Watts will also be in the rotation. Ramandi will be a defensive specialist, according to the coach.
Junior middle blocker Samantha Jackson has worked hard since the end of last season. Sudol is expecting a big year from her.
"We’ve really come together as a team," Jackson said. "We’re better at the overall understanding of the game and how to play it. We’re able to hit the ball, able to talk and communicate and know where we are gong to be and how to get there."
There will also be a junior varsity team this year, which will be coached by Brian West. The players are sophomore Lindsey Jandoli and freshmen Francesca Cintorrino, Megan Kumbatovic, Cathy Meyer and Meghan O’Reilly and juniors Meghan McGinley, Margie Nejman and Jessica Zivi.
Depth will allow the entire Raider program to expand its objectives.
"Our goal is to break the .500 mark and qualify for the state tournament," Sudol said.
The team was scheduled to play at Bridgewater-Raritan and Warren Hills on Monday and Wednesday of this week with a home game against Hunterdon Central on tap for next Monday.