Around the State: Tournament Updates

<p>Tournament continues to ramp up with some finishing while others are starting. Three tournaments were in play yesterday. Let’s take a closer took at some of the more intriguing matchups from each. It’s that time of the year when you see the top teams start to separate themselves with the state tournament looming around the corner. </p> <p><em><strong>Shore Conference Tournament</strong></em></p> <p>It was the first round of the Shore Conference and there happened to be two upsets at least based on seeding. Pinelands held off Toms River North in three-sets led by Jayne Wilkinson who had 11 kills and 4 blocks. The other upset was Colts Neck holding off Jackson Liberty in three tight sets. Mary Huegel was on fire with 19 kills to carry them across the finish line. </p> <p>Other storylines is that all four top seeds in Donovan Catholic, St. John Vianney, Southern and Toms River East cruised to the quarterfinals.  </p> <p><em><strong>Hudson County Tournament</strong></em></p> <p>In the quarterfinals of the Hudson County Tournament, it went all chalk with the top four seeds: Hudson Catholic, Union City, Secaucus and Ferris all advancing. However, it wasn’t easy for Secaucus as their match went the distance and into extras in the third set with them prevailing 29-27. Amaya Ocasio led the way with 27 assists.  </p> <p><em><strong>Union County Tournament</strong></em></p> <p>Lastly, we have the semifinals of the Union County Tournament and Kent Place is having themselves a week as they advanced to the Union County Tournament final dominating Elizabeth in straight sets led by [player_tooltip player_id="154733" first="Lauren" last="Osuala"] who finished with 11 kills and 13 digs. In the other semifinal, it went the distance between Scotch Plains-Fanwood and Westfield with Westfield pulling away in the third. The first two sets were tight but it looked like Scotch Plains-Fanwood ran out of steam in the third. </p>