FINAL HIT: Princeton High girls’ volleyball player Charlotte Woods sends the ball over the net in recent action. Last Sunday, senior star Woods recorded 13 kills and 13 digs to help PHS defeat Millburn 3-0 (25-16, 25-21, 25-18) in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 3 state final. It marked the third straight Group 3 state title for the Tigers, who ended the fall with a 27-5 record. (Photo by Frank Jacobs III)

By Bill Alden

It was the elephant in the room as Charlotte Woods and her fellow seniors on the Princeton High girls’ volleyball team got ready to face Millburn in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 3 state final last Sunday.

“I know it means a lot to every team to have seniors and it is their last time getting to play,” said Woods. “I think in a way we almost couldn’t talk about it because it makes us all a little bit sad. In the locker room, nobody said anything about this is our last time. We were like, ‘OK we have to go out there and do our best.’”

About an hour and a half later, the Tigers were deliriously happy, hugging each other on the court at Franklin High after they defeated Millburn 3-0 (25-16, 25-21, 25-18) to win their third-straight Group 3 state championship and finish the fall with a 27-5 record.

“It is almost surreal; in school, people asked us about it,” said Woods. “It definitely wasn’t something that was easy or was absolutely going to happen. It was like hopefully, we really want to. I think today with the way we were playing and how hard we worked, it felt like it was going to come home. Now that we are here, it feels so bittersweet.”

Millburn made things hard for the Tigers, particularly in the second set when it took a 20-19 lead over PHS.

“This was by far the hardest we have played, they definitely gave us a run for our money,” said Woods. “It never felt guaranteed. We just weren’t playing our smartest. They started tipping those balls and we had a hole on the middle of our court.”

Displaying their championship mettle, the Tigers rose to the challenge as they pulled out the set 25-21 and never looked back after that.

“Once we started realizing that, I think we were able to turn it around for ourselves,” said Woods. “It was not a walk in the park. They were swinging balls, they were giving us good chances to dig some really great balls. It is always nice to feel like you are really hustling on those points.”

As the third set came to an end, Woods enjoyed a memorable point with her classmates, Naomi Lygas, Kaelin Bobetich, and Joanna Hou.

“All four of our seniors were on the court and we were up by a little bit,” recalled Woods. “I got a little excited. I had to stay within myself but this could be it right here. It was a moment where we got to be there all together. Joanna had the dig, it went to Kaelin and Naomi smashed the ball. Those are just really exciting points where everyone gets to be involved and play with all of those people who you love so much.”

The trio of tri-captain stars Lygas, Bobetich, and Woods have bonded as they led the Tigers on their title run.

“Naomi, Kaelin, and I have grown up together and it shows on the court too with just how close we are” said Woods. “Naomi is one of many best friends. I eat lunch with her every single day. I hang out with her on the weekends. I go to town with her whenever I can. I see a lot of Kaelin too, she sits right across from us. We are always talking and saying hi. We also see Joanna who we have gotten to play with.”

With the Tigers working some new faces into the lineup this year, Woods has connected with the younger players.

“Everyone who has been on the team this year has grown so much as a player,” said Woods. “Lucy [Wang] kept us in the game in that second set. Camila [Barbosa] had an amazing game. The middles have grown so much. Even with our underclassmen and having more people on the court, our bonds have really grown with them too.”

PHS head coach Patty Manhart realized that she would need a total team effort from her players to overcome Millburn.

“They were not a team you can easily say target this number or they don’t do this well, they just seemed like a solid team,” said Manhart. “It was the type of team where we have to play aggressive volleyball. We have to be ready to swing and go at them and serve aggressively too because they have good serve receive. We had to be ready for them to serve tough against us.”

As usual, the Tigers played some good volleyball. “At the end of the day, it was just a matter of playing together and getting the touches on defense because they really pushed us,” said Manhart. “They are a good team, they play great defense, they play fast. They got us out of the middle a couple of times.”

When Millburn rallied in the second set, Manhart called a timeout to help her squad make a final push.

“In the second set, they started tipping a little bit,” said Manhart. “It was that off-tempo stuff that kind of caught us out of system a little bit. It was just to make an adjustment, reset, and just remind the girls that we win by playing aggressive. They might be going with off tempo shots against us but our game is fast, strong, aggressive, swinging away at everything.”

In the third set, some aggressive play from Lygas made the difference.

“The big swings from Naomi were big,” said Manhart of Lygas who ended up with a match-high 25 kills and 10 digs in the win. “There was that one rally where we went to her three times in a row before finding the floor. She was ready for it, that is what she does. So it is just having those solid players that can end points.”

In reflecting on the title three-peat, Manhart was thrilled to see her seniors go out in a blaze of glory.

“I wanted it for the seniors so bad, they did it as sophomores, as juniors and they deserve to have it their senior year as well,” said Manhart. “They work so hard, they are volleyball players. They love this team. They put in the work in the offseason to get here. They elevate their teammates and they are so reliable. That is why when we go down a few points, we are not losing our cool.”
The play of Lygas over the years has elevated the Tigers to their championship heights.

“She is one of a kind, she is a once-in-a lifetime volleyball player,” said Manhart, noting that Lygas dealt with a leg injury this fall as she passed the 1,000-kill milestone in her career. “She is a powerhouse, a superstar. Playing through injury speaks to her awesomeness. She will just push through and play through. She is always going to go 100 percent, there are not many players are like that. She is a very special player.”

Woods ended her career with a special performance, recording 13 kills, 13 digs, one block and three service aces against Millburn.

“Charlotte is so smart, she is so fast,” said Manhart. “She has great energy, she really hypes up her teammates.”

Manhart was hyped to see her squad achieve its three-peat goal.

“I am just so happy for this team,” said Manhart.“It is the type of thing that you know you can do it but a three-peat state champ, that is a really big deal. It is kind of crazy. I know I have the group of kids that can do it but it is still a really big deal.”

For Woods, ending her career with one more championship triggered a lot of emotion.

“This is probably my last game, it is crazy,” said Woods. “I have been working hard not to (cry). I am just so proud of everyone and so happy that we have had such an amazing year and that I have gotten to get to know everybody on and off the court.”