Down 0-2, Not Done: Cougars Rally Past Northern Burlington in Five-Set State Tournament Thriller
Nicholas Mistretta
MHS ’79 Cougar Sports Correspondent
MONTGOMERY, NJ — Down two sets. Missing a starter. Facing the end of their season. Montgomery volleyball never blinked.
The Cougars delivered one of their most resilient performances of the year Monday, storming back from a two-set deficit to defeat Northern Burlington, 3-2, in the first round of the NJSIAA South Jersey, Group 3 Tournament. After dropping the opening two sets, Montgomery responded by winning three straight 25-18, 25-19 and 15-10 — to complete the comeback and earn its 20th victory of the season. Montgomery improved to 20-6, while Northern Burlington finished the match at 14-11. For a Cougar team that has repeatedly shown an ability to adjust, battle through adversity and find different ways to win, Monday’s playoff victory may have been one of its clearest examples yet.
“Tonight’s match was quite a battle!” Montgomery head coach Lauren Matlack said. “Coming back after being down two sets was incredibly difficult, and adjusting without one of our starters is really tough, but these girls are so strong, resilient, and determined. They never stopped believing in themselves or each other, and it was a great game to be a part of.”
Northern Burlington Takes Control Early
The opening set immediately established what kind of match Montgomery was facing. Northern Burlington edged the Cougars 27-25 in a tightly contested first set before following with a 25-19 victory in the second. Suddenly, Montgomery was one set away from elimination. But the Cougars have spent much of the season demonstrating that circumstances do not necessarily dictate outcomes. This time would be no different. Montgomery seized control of the third set, winning 25-18 to extend the match. The Cougars followed with another strong effort in the fourth, taking it 25-19 and wiping away Northern Burlington’s two-set advantage. What had started as a difficult night had become a winner-take-all fifth set. And Montgomery was ready. With its season hanging in the balance, the Cougars finished the comeback with a decisive 15-10 victory, completing three consecutive set wins and punching their ticket to the next round of the state tournament.
Cougars Adjust on the Fly
Making the comeback even more impressive was Montgomery’s need to alter its lineup with starter Selina Tan unavailable in the starting lineup. The Cougars responded by reshuffling several defensive responsibilities. Pooja Venkat, who had been playing defensive specialist/outside, moved into the libero position. Carly Zissman shifted to middle back, while Vicky Mazzeo stepped into a defensive specialist role. The adjustments paid off.
Venkat delivered a tremendous defensive performance, recording a team-high 41 digs while also serving three aces. Zissman finished with 18 digs, while Mazzeo added 14. Setter and senior captain Ritisha Mungi contributed another 18 digs while directing the Cougar offense with 33 assists. She also finished with three kills and an ace. In all, Montgomery amassed an eye-catching 111 digs, reflecting the defensive effort required to survive a five-set tournament battle.
Verma Leads Balanced Cougar Attack
Senior captain Anshika Verma led Montgomery offensively with 13 kills, while also contributing two blocks, four digs and three aces. The Cougars received production throughout the lineup. Leah Fenmore finished with seven kills and two blocks, while Sidney Koslow added seven kills, eight digs and two aces. Avery Zhao recorded six kills, five digs and three aces, and Anita Balashova contributed four kills. Montgomery finished the night with 40 kills, 35 assists, five blocks, 111 digs and 12 aces. Northern Burlington presented a formidable challenge of its own. Emerson Jones and Anaya Varma each recorded 14 kills, while Varma also finished with 12 digs and five aces. Setter Joanna Steward totaled 37 assists, and Ella Tallone led Northern Burlington defensively with 26 digs. But after Northern Burlington built its two-set advantage, the Cougars simply refused to go away.
Resilience When It Matters Most
There are victories defined by dominance, and there are victories defined by response. Monday’s belonged firmly in the second category. Montgomery did not have its usual lineup. It did not win the opening set. It did not win the second. Instead, the Cougars adjusted.
They defended. They trusted one another. And with their season on the line, they won the next three sets.
It was the type of performance that has become familiar for a Montgomery team that has shown throughout the season that it can compete under a wide range of circumstances. Twenty victories into the season, that adaptability may be one of the Cougars’ greatest strengths. And on Monday night, with elimination staring them in the face, Montgomery showed it again.
Down two sets, the Cougars weren’t done. Three straight set victories later, their state tournament run wasn’t done either.
Photo Credit: Nick Mistretta/headlinenewsmontgomry.com