Cougars Answer the Challenge: Montgomery Volleyball Rallies Past Hillsborough for 16th Win

Nicholas Mistretta

MHS ’79 Cougar Sports Correspondent

MONTGOMERY, NJ — Montgomery High School’s girls volleyball team bounced back in determined fashion Saturday, overcoming an opening-set loss and surviving a tense deciding set to defeat Hillsborough 2-1 and improve to 16-2 on the season.

The Cougars dropped the first set 25-22, answered with a 25-22 victory of their own in the second, then outlasted Hillsborough 29-27 in an extended third-set battle to secure their 16th win of the year. After falling to Bridgewater-Raritan in three sets in their previous match, Montgomery was tested again — and this time found a way to finish.

Koslow Leads the Attack
Sidney Koslow delivered a strong all-around performance for Montgomery, leading the Cougars with 14 kills while adding 12 digs, two blocks and an ace. Montgomery received balanced production behind her. Pooja Venkat, Leah Fenmore and Anshika Verma each finished with five kills, while Ritisha Mungi and Avery Zhao contributed four apiece. The Cougars totaled 37 kills and seven blocks across the three-set match. Fenmore led Montgomery at the net defensively with three blocks, while Koslow had two and Verma and Mungi each added one.

Mungi Directs Offense, Defense Holds Firm
Mungi continued to serve as the engine of Montgomery’s offense, finishing with 23 assists to go along with seven digs and four kills. Venkat added seven assists, while Selina Tan contributed three. The Cougars were also busy defensively, finishing with 66 digs. Tan led Montgomery with 18 digs, followed closely by Venkat with 17 and Koslow with 12. Mungi added seven, while Carly Zissman recorded five. That defensive effort proved important in a match where neither team could create much separation.

Cougars Respond After Dropping First Set
Hillsborough opened the match by taking the first set 25-22, putting Montgomery in an early hole. The Cougars responded immediately, reversing the score in the second with a 25-22 win to force a decisive third set. The finale turned into the match’s most demanding stretch. Neither side could establish the required two-point advantage after reaching 25, sending the set beyond regulation scoring. Montgomery eventually broke through for the 29-27 victory, closing out a match that required both resilience and patience. The Cougars also produced nine aces, led by Tan, Verma and Zissman with two each. Venkat, Mungi and Koslow added one apiece.

Montgomery Improves to 16-2
The win gave Montgomery an immediate response following its second loss of the season and demonstrated another side of a team that has spent much of the fall winning convincingly. Against Hillsborough, nothing came easily. The Cougars had to recover after dropping the opening set, fight their way back into the match and then withstand a third set that stretched all the way to 29 points. Montgomery did all three. At 16-2, the Cougars continue one of the strongest seasons among Montgomery’s fall programs — and Saturday’s victory showed that even when pushed deep into a match, they remain difficult to put away.

Photo Credit: Nick Mistretta/headlinenewsmontgomry.com