ENCORE PERFORMANCE: Members of the Princeton High girls’ volleyball team celebrate last Saturday after they defeated Ramapo 2-0 (25-8, 25-11) in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 3 state finals at Franklin High. It marked the second straight Group 3 state title for PHS and putting the finishing touch on a sensational 28-1 campaign. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As Lois Matsukawa served for Princeton High girls’ volleyball team to open its New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 3 state final against Ramapo last Saturday, she zipped the ball over the net which resulted in the Tigers taking a 1-0 lead on a block at the net.

PHS rattled off five straight points on Matsukawa’s serve and never looked back on the way to a comprehensive 2-0 (25-8, 25-11) win over the Raiders at Franklin High, earning its second straight Group 3 state title and putting the finishing touch on a sensational 28-1 campaign.

With PHS having won the program’s first-ever state title last fall, senior center Matsukawa and her teammates were calm and collected as they took the court last Saturday.

“Knowing the court and having that mentality that we are going to states, it definitely felt a little less nervous and a little less pressure,” said senior Matsukawa. “We have been playing so well this entire season. We have been playing with so much confidence.”

The Tigers were locked in from the start, jumping out to a 15-3 lead in the first set.

“Our passing was phenomenal and our serving was even better, we were serving them so well,” said Matsukawa. “They are such a great hitting team and we wanted to try to get them out of system as much as we could so they couldn’t hit anywhere we weren’t there. We were picking every single ball up, especially with the blocks in the first couple of points. Those were huge for us because we really wanted to shut down these great hitters on the other team. We just had a really great start to the match.”

In the second set, the Tigers built a 19-5 cushion on the way to closing out the match.

“It was the same mindset, we were saying that team is going to come back with even more force,” said Matsukawa, who tallied 14 assists and 11 service points in the win.

“We were saying we want to be just as prepared. I think this is the strongest we have ever looked this entire season with our serving, our passing and our communication on the court. There were a couple of mishaps here or there. We played with so much confidence, just to win.”

Heading into the fall, the Tigers were confident they could achieve the title repeat.

“This is huge for us,” said Matsukawa. “We are such a young team so coming back and pretty much having the same starters again this year, we just had that mentality that we are going to make it back here. We know how strong we are and how much we have worked in the offseason to get here.”

In reflecting on what makes the squad special, Matsukawa pointed to talking during games.

“I think the communication on the court, we have done a very great job with that,” said Matsukawa, who ended her PHS career with a program-record 1,738 assists. “Pearl [Agel] has done a great job out of system, shouting out open spots in the middle of a rally and also communicating with our hitters, like do they need a higher set, do they need a faster set. It is communicating and being able to play so loose and confident.”

PHS junior star outside hitter Naomi Lygas, who was up to speed after tweaking her leg in the Group 3 semifinal 2-0 win over Moorestown on Thursday, was focused on getting off to a hot start against Ramapo.

“We had never played that team before, we watched some film on them,” said Lygas, who had 11 kills in the win to increase her program record total to 852. “The biggest thing was getting out to an early lead. We didn’t really know what they had with them. We know we play the best when we have that confidence going.”

Like Matsukawa, Lygas believed the Tigers could make it two state titles in a row.

“Last year we were the underdogs, we were coming up putting Princeton on the map and this year we had a lot of pressure coming into it so that was a big thing,” said Lygas. “We were trying to prove ourselves. People have asked us is it an option not to repeat and we said not really because of how hard we work.”

In addition to working hard, the Tigers have developed a special camaraderie which translates to the court.

“It is everything about it; we are so connected, we are such a hardworking team,” said Lygas. “If there is something that is not working, we find it and fix it. That is something that is so huge about us. We probably spend the most time together out of a lot of teams. We have lunches, we have after school bonding. That just makes it so easy to play together, it is such a supportive team.”

PHS head coach Patty Manhart cited her players’ dedication as a key to their success.

“They are so committed to the sport, coming in their freshman year for Lois’ class and Naomi’s class, it is knowing that I have volleyball players,” said Manhart “They were coming in as good players who love the sport who I know from freshman to senior year are going to be playing almost 365 days of the year. Kaelin [Bobetich], Charlotte [Woods] and Naomi were good enough to start as freshmen, that was the year we lost in the sectional final. That was such a good omen, knowing that if this is where we are coming in with people who are brand new to the high school team and adjusting, playing together for the first time and this is the bar that they are setting. That just told me that we had good things ahead going forward.”

Even though PHS came into the fall with a target on their backs, they kept their focus despite the extra
attention.

“There is so much that happens in the fall; they are high school students, the quarter is wrapping up they have so much work, they have APs,” said Manhart. “You can have a lot going on that can change your game and how you are feeling that day but they know as long as they come out into the gym and they lock in. They still have to work, nothing is going to be handed to them. We could potentially have off days but they know that no matter how good you are, they still need to work.”

In the win over Ramapo, the Tigers produced some very good work.

“It is different than how we started last year; I am thinking about our serve receive against Millburn going back and forth, trading points with them in the first set,” said Manhart.

“I think the advantage was just like having done this, pretty much the whole starting lineup coming back. They did this last year and you saw in how they played, there was no state final heebie-jeebies to work through. It is such a privilege. We were in system for everything. We just played really good, smooth volleyball which was nice to see.”

While Manhart was confident that her squad would earn the title repeat, her players didn’t take anything for granted.

“I am wrapping my head around it,” said Manhart. “It is something that last year, knowing where we finished and who were returning on paper it just made sense that we were going to do it. But you still have to go out and do it. It is yes of course we we’re going to be here and do it again but the flip side, it takes a lot of work, staying healthy and staying together for a long time. To be able to do it so I am just so happy to be here and see what the girls did tonight.”

Manhart credited her senior group of Matsukawa, Agel, Zoe Nuland, and Anya Haeberli with helping to hold things together for the team.

“I will miss them, Pearl and Lois were captains for the past two years and we’ll miss that leadership,” said Manhart. “Anya and Zoe grew so much to become important pieces of what we do. Having underclassmen that see the leadership and look up to them and also know that those spots are open next year, I  think that makes people driven to keep working and get ready for August.”

With its trio of heavy hitters, junior stars Lygas, Woods, and Bobetich, returning next year, PHS will begin the hunt for a  title three-peat.

“I think we are capable of doing anything we want to do,” said Manhart. “With Charlotte, Naomi and Kaelin coming back and how hungry they are to finish their senior year, they are definitely going to set that bar. I think we will be in good shape for next year.”

Matsukawa was thrilled to finish her senior year with a second state title.

“I am so grateful for this program, I am so grateful for coach being able to coach this team to great victories, back-to-back state championships,” said Matsukawa. “I never would have thought my freshman year that I would be here especially back-to-back. I would never thought that in my high school career and the fact that we are here and we also just won by a lot and played with so much confidence. I never would have guessed that this would have been the end of my season.”

Lygas, for her part, hopes to end up in the same place next November.

“I am super excited for senior year,” said Lygas. “We made a promise to one of the photographers here that we would be back next year so that is definitely our goal. We are losing some amazing people. It is going to be a change but I am looking forward to seeing what we make out of it.”