Madison Smashes Bloomfield Tech to Reach Final

The top-seeded Madison High School girls volleyball team rolled past No. 4 Bloomfield Tech 2-0 Monday in the South Jersey Group 1 state semifinals.

The Dodgers advance to face Science Park in the sectional championship Thursday night at Jefferson High School at 7 p.m.

IN SHORT

The match between these two teams was lopsided from the start. Madison jumped out ot a 17-1 lead in the opening game and finished it quickly at 25-4. 

It appeared the Spartans were going to stage a comeback in the second game, but presented little offense and the game soon slid toward in the Dodgers' favor. Bloomfield Tech struggled against Madison's powerfull attack mounted by Kayla Fennelly, Kate Taylor and Joellen Kentner.

"I thought we brought some intensity and we had better energy than our last game," Madison coach Stephen Fenton said. "We worked on a new serve receive called a 'stack' to focus receiving the serve. We are still trying to ge the girls to talk a little more. We controlled things pretty much from the onset so we felt comfortable and confident and relaxed, which is good. We have been building for this moment."

DODGER OF THE MATCH

Kayla Fennelly—She was solid on the front line hitting the ball on the attack from the outside, recording six kills in the match.

KEY PERMORMANCES

Kate Taylor (Madison)—Taylor had 3 service aces, 11 service points and 4 kills; Joellen Kentner (Madison)—Joellen had 6 kills, a service ace and a dig; Erin Lennon (Madison)—Lennon had 3 assists and 5 digs; Kelly Quinn (Madison)—Kelly had 6 service aces; Jen Vorell (Madison)—Vorell had 19 assists and 11 service points.

THEY SAID IT

"This was the first time we tried the 'stack' this season, but we did it last year and it worked really well.  We have a bad habit of making games interesting.  I am glad we just got it done.  We did really well."—Erin Lennon

Up Next—Science Park for the NJSIAA South, Group 1 state championship on at Jefferson Thursday, 7 p.m.