2-Cherokee (27-0) vs. 3-North Hunterdon (19-6)
This is a rematch of last year’s Group 4 second round, a match that North Hunterdon won 25-13, 25-17.
Cherokee has had a dream season to date but this will be, arguably, its toughest match yet.
The second-seeded Chiefs have taken down Montclair, Old Bridge and Clifton to reach the semifinals. On the season, this Cherokee squad has only lost six sets.
Kayleigh Kitchen has been a star in her senior campaign. She leads the team and has set a career high with 241 kills. Makenzie Jackson and Madison Patton have each been solid hitters with a combined 169 kills.
Alexis Bickett and Alaina Santacroce have proven to be a strong pair of setters with 285 and 209 assists respectively. The offense doesn’t stop there, though. Erica Marchlowitz has 64 aces on the season, Santacroce has 49 and Marlana Stipa rounds out the top three with 45.
North Hunterdon finds itself in the semifinals once again this year. Last fall, a promising tournament run was ended by Hunterdon Central in a 14-25, 16-25 loss. The Lions were able to rectify that loss by knocking out Hunterdon Central in this year’s quarterfinals, 25-20, 21-25, 25-18.
The team opened the tournament with a big 25-9, 25-15 win over Edison and followed that with a 25-23, 25-15 win over Randolph.
Instead of having just one dynamic hitter, the Lions have three in Caroline Layding, Emma Mikitiuk and Eleanor Stothoff. All three have combined for 354 kills and Layding leads the group with 121.
Jill Ferreira and Julia Pereira are the team’s go-to setting duo and add another wrinkle to an already potent offense. Ferreira leads North Hunterdon with 281 assists and Pereira has 177. Sarah Khan has chipped in nicely offensively with 30 aces, second on the team to Layding’s 31.
Khan has been sensational on the other side of the ball with 353 digs. Layding and Stothoff both make their presence felt on defense as well. Stothoff’s 69 blocks lead the team and Layding has 46 of her own.
Source: Lion Athletic News Girls Volleyball: Previewing the Group 4 semifinals, 2017- Nov. 8 Girls Volleyball: Previewing the Group 4 semifinals, 2017- Nov. 8
