Warren Hills Turns the Tables on Montgomery in Three-Set Rematch

Nicholas Mistretta

MHS ’79 Cougar Sports Correspondent

MONTGOMERY, NJ — The first meeting between Montgomery and Warren Hills required two marathon sets. The rematch needed all three.

After Montgomery survived a pair of extended games — 26-24 and 31-29 to sweep Warren Hills earlier this season, the Blue Streaks returned the favor in the rematch, rallying from a set down to defeat the Cougars 2-1. Montgomery took the opener 25-18, but Warren Hills answered with a 25-17 victory in the second before edging the Cougars 25-23 in a tightly contested deciding set. The loss dropped Montgomery to 17-4, while Warren Hills improved to 8-9.

Cougars Take Early Control
Montgomery came out strongly and secured the first set by seven points, putting itself in position for another victory over Warren Hills. But the momentum shifted in the second. Warren Hills responded with its own 25-17 win, evening the match and forcing a third set to decide it. This time there would be no comfortable margin for either side. The decisive game went down to the final points, with Warren Hills ultimately prevailing 25-23 to complete the comeback and split the season series.

Verma Delivers Strong All-Around Match
Senior captain Anshika Verma led Montgomery at the net with a team-high 10 kills and five blocks, while also contributing nine digs and two aces. Sidney Koslow added eight kills and 17 digs, and Leah Fenmore finished with six kills and three blocks. Pooja Venkat contributed three kills and continued her strong defensive play with 19 digs. She also served three aces. Montgomery finished with 30 kills and nine blocks as a team.

Mungi, Tan Lead Defensive Effort
The Cougars were active defensively throughout the three-set match. Senior captain Ritisha Mungi finished with 23 digs and 27 assists, along with two kills and a block. Selina Tan recorded 22 digs, while Venkat added 19 and Koslow collected 17. Carly Zissman contributed another nine digs. Montgomery was credited with 106 digs, reflecting a match filled with prolonged rallies and defensive exchanges. The Cougars also finished with eight aces. Venkat led with three, Verma and Zissman added two apiece, and Koslow contributed one.

Another Battle Between Familiar Opponents
The two meetings between Montgomery and Warren Hills have now produced some of the Cougars’ most competitive volleyball of the season. In the first, Montgomery needed a 26-24 victory just to take the opening set before surviving an extraordinary 31-29 second set to finish the sweep. The rematch followed a different script. Montgomery again started on top, but Warren Hills answered in the second set and then survived a two-point third-set battle to earn the victory. For the Cougars, the loss comes after Immaculata ended their Somerset County Tournament run in straight sets, giving Montgomery consecutive defeats after a season in which losses have been rare. Still, at 17-4, Montgomery remains in the midst of an impressive campaign. And if the two meetings with Warren Hills demonstrated anything, it is how little has separated these teams. The first belonged to Montgomery after two marathon sets. The second went the full three and this time Warren Hills found the final two points it needed.

Photo Credit: Nick Mistretta/headlinenewsmontgomry.com