SKILL SET: Princeton High girls’ volleyball player Lois Matsukawa sets up a hit in a 2023 game. Last Wednesday, senior star Matsukawa contributed 34 assists, 14 digs, and six service points as PHS defeated Southern 3-1 (25-18, 25-14, 26-28, 25-17) in a clash of defending state champions. The Tigers, who improved to 6-0 with a 2-0 (25-13, 25-17) win over Notre Dame last Monday, host WW/P-South on September 18, Westfield on September 20, and Hopewell Valley on September 23. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Lois Matsukawa and her teammates on the Princeton High girls’ volleyball team were primed for the challenge as they hosted Southern High last Thursday evening in a rare clash of defending state champions.

Coming off a New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 3 state title run in 2023 with a core of five stars returning, the Tigers have brought plenty of self-belief into this fall.

“We just came into this season really confident because we have played each other already,” said PHS senior star Matsukawa. “We have been playing club with each other too. We have established really good relationships with each other, there was no nervousness or anything like that.”

Having faced Southern, the 2023 Group 4 state champs, in the Williamstown High Tournament on September 7, splitting two sets with the Rams on the way to winning the event, PHS realized they were in for a stern test.

“We knew this wasn’t going to be an easy one to win at all,” said Matsukawa in assessing the best-of-five set showdown. “I think the biggest thing was just playing as a team. We scouted them really well from those two sets. We knew that libero [Emily Brunnati] is great. She was amazing. Our biggest thing was just to really to keep that ball away from her and make her move.”

With a packed gym featuring a raucous student section in the top corner across from the PHS bench, the Tigers got off to a great start on Thursday as they won the first two sets 25-18 and 25-14.
“I think that we did a great job being together, playing together,” said Matsukawa. “The big crowd really hyped us up.”

After Southern rallied to win the third set 28-26, PHS regrouped to win the third set 25-17 and close the deal with a 3-1 win.

“We just made the most errors and a lot of them were just our errors,” said Matsukawa. “We just knew to clean it up and just keep playing how we did in the first set, being confident and swinging away from that libero.”

Matsukawa served out the fourth set as the throng on hand roared its approval. “We really served tough,” said Matsukawa. “We got them out of system a lot and that really helped us in the end.”

Over the years, Matsukawa has become a catalyst in the PHS system.

“I have to give most of the credit to the hitters,” said Matsukawa, who contributed 34 assists, 14 digs, and six service points in the win. “I am just scrambling around for these plays trying to get a good set for them. I think the biggest thing for a setter is communication, both during plays and after plays. It is just keeping the group together and sane, not going too crazy. It plays a really important role in the game.”

PHS head coach Patty Manhart appreciates the critical role that Matsukawa plays for the Tigers.

“You are running so much as the setter and Lois has to work so hard,” said Manhart of Matsukawa, who has verbally committed to attend Swarthmore College and continue her volleyball career there. “She was consistent all the way through. There was no point where her sets were off or dropping or errors. She was able to play at the top of her game all the way through. She has been with these girls at least three years. This is what happens when you get the privilege of returning players who have that experience together. She knows where to put the ball to score the points and does it well.”

In reflecting on the win over Southern, Manhart credited her players for stepping up collectively.

“It was a team effort, you can’t do that if only one person has a good game or if you are only relying on one aspect of your game,” said Manhart. “That just showed how well rounded and balanced that we are along with the toughness and grit. I could see the wearing and the tear of going four sets. I am really proud of the girls for hanging tough.”

The boisterous crowd on hand helped the Tigers hang tough. “It is really nice to see the student section supporting the girls,” said Manhart. “They can definitely feed off of that energy, it makes a difference.”

Heading into the fourth set, PHS was looking to play sharper to regain momentum.

“The message after the third set was this was the team that we expected, in sets one and two they didn’t look like Southern,” said Manhart. “So then it was just trying to make those adjustments. We were getting beat on things like and our block and not getting those extra little touches. No. 9 [Jessica Smart] was just lighting it up ,so it is just a matter of figuring that out and making an adjustment on our side and then pushing through it.”

Junior star Naomi Lygas helped push the Tigers to victory as she literally jumped into the stands to keep a point alive to help the Tigers go up 14-12.

“Points like that really mean a lot,” said Manhart. “It speaks to the team’s character. Winning those types of points was fun to see.”

Lygas showed character as she played through leg cramps to end up with 23 kills and 16 digs in the win.

“She is someone who will play through pain and injury,” said Manhart of Lygas. “She is not going to hold back, she is not going to take it easy. She is just going to push right through that.”

Senior libero Pearl Agel played very well against Southern, coming up with 23 digs.

“In the beginning we knew No. 9 was out to score points and put the ball away and Pearl said no right from the start,” said Manhart. “It helps us on our side knowing it is not going to be easy for Southern. They can’t just expect No. 9 to score every time she gets the ball because our defense really worked hard today.”

While Manhart was proud of how hard her squad worked in overcoming Southern, she views the triumph as just one step in a season-long process.

“I see it as statement win and as diagnostic,” said Manhart, whose team improved to 6-0 with a 2-0 (25-13, 25-17) win over Notre Dame last Monday, hosts WW/P-South on September 18, Westfield on September 20, and Hopewell Valley on September 23. “This team is going to show us those extra little things that we can improve on. Now we see how they scored those points against us and it’s alright let’s work on that in practice and then use that for the postseason. It feels like a long way away but it is always on our minds. I really appreciate having a top tier team like Southern coming out so early on in the season.”

In Matsukawa’s view, winning the Williamstown tournament and then beating Southern shows that PHS is on track for some big things this fall.

“That was one of the biggest things, it was a breakthrough,” said Matsukawa, referring to the Williamstown competition. “We played really hard teams. It wasn’t easy, we lost sets. It just showed how resilient we are and how we are really determined to win. It is also just consistency with everyone, everyone just had a lot of confidence. This was a great game, we just need to keep watching film and working hard.”