Story by PJ Potter of NJ.com
Union Catholic has seen this scenario play out before.
At Harwood Arena on the campus of Kean University, Union Catholic has lost each of the last two Union County Tournament championships at this venue, falling just short of local glory. This season, they demanded a different result of themselves.
On Sunday, Oct. 27, the Vikings overhauled their struggles of yesteryear, steering the ship in the direction of a county trophy.
For the first time since 2019 and the seventh since 2010, top-seeded Union Catholic is the champion of Union County. Moving past second-seeded Gov. Livingston, UC pummeled a 25-17, 26-24 tally to continue their dominant 2024 campaign.
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10/27 – 3:30 PM Girls Volleyball Final Gov. Livingston 0 Union Catholic 2
A major sigh of relief unveiled following a tense second frame, which saw Gov. Livingston (18-5) pave an early 12-6 lead. The Vikings climbed back, going toe-to-toe with the Highlanders in a set that saw a dozen separate ties.
Knotted at 24, Union Catholic could feel Gov. Livingston gaining momentum, so it was almost imperative to close out the second frame and avoid an overtime set.
The Vikings tallied back-to-back points, and just like that, they became the top dogs of Union for the first time in their career.
“There’s no way we were going to lose on this court our senior year,” UC’s Rachel Williams said.
“To finally win in this arena is amazing. Going out this way as a senior is so cool. We’re excited to see that banner,” UC’s RyanGorski said.
Williams and Gorski navigated the offense, just as they have done all season, generating 13 and nine kills, respectively, alongside two and three aces.
Williams surpassed 300 kills for the year and Gorski is knocking on the door of 200.
“These seniors were tired of losing in this game. They do not quit and they wanted this win more than anything,” UC head coach Nancy Saggio said.
Ranked No. 4 in New Jersey, Union Catholic is registering one of the greatest seasons in program history. They are 23-2 overall, including three wins over No. 16 Gov. Livingston and one over Immaculate Heart, Morristown, Hunterdon Central, and Westfield apiece.
Through all of these impressive victories, something was different on Sunday. The vibes were visibly not the same as any other match this fall, and that was not by accident.
“Our energy was better than ever. We know how to play in a championship environment, but now we know how to win these games,” Gorski said.
Alex Landazabal cranked a pair of aces, eclipsing 100 for her career. UC totaled eight aces in the championship bout.
The Vikings’ quest to the UCT Tournament trophy included wins over 16-Rahway; 8-Cranford; 5-Summit; and 2-Gov. Livingston.