The St. Mary Gaels (14-6) varsity volleyball team from Rutherford, NJ, will face the Montclair Kimberley Academy Cougars (9-8) from Montclair, NJ, in a neutral-site playoff match on Thursday, November 14. This game is part of the 2024 New Jersey High School State Girls Volleyball Tournament for North Jersey Non-Public Group B.

Here’s what you need to know:

What: New Jersey High School Volleyball
Who: St. Mary vs Montclair Kimberley Academy
When: Thursday, November 14, 2024
Time: TBD
Bracket: 2024 New Jersey High School State Girls Volleyball Tournament – North Jersey Non-Public Group B
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Game preview: St. Mary vs Montclair Kimberley Academy

As the high school sports season heats up in New Jersey, Montclair Kimberley Academy (MKA) and St. Mary’s are two teams drawing attention. With impressive records, both schools have demonstrated resilience and skill. Let’s take a closer look at the matchup, rankings, and how each team has performed so far.

Rankings & Records

• Montclair Kimberley Academy:
  • Overall Record: 9-8
  • League Record: 0-2
  • Home Record: 4-2
  • Away Record: 3-6
  • Neutral Record: 2-0
  • Win Percentage: 52.9%
  • League Win Percentage: 0.0%
  • Sets Won (SW): 23
  • Sets Lost (SL): 20
• St. Mary:
  • Overall Record: 14-6
  • League Record: 4-0
  • Home Record: 5-2
  • Away Record: 7-4
  • Neutral Record: 2-0
  • Win Percentage: 70%
  • League Win Percentage: 100%
  • Sets Won (SW): 29
  • Sets Lost (SL): 16

While Montclair Kimberley has had a solid season, their league record remains at 0-2, indicating struggles in critical league games. St. Mary, on the other hand, boasts an undefeated 4-0 league record, showing their strength within their division.

Team Scoring Averages

Scoring patterns reveal some unique insights into the teams’ performances:

• Montclair Kimberley Academy:
  • Scoring remains consistent across sets, with averages of 23.2, 22.4, and 23.0 in their first three sets. Their win average per match is slightly lower, at 1.4.
• St. Mary:
  • St. Mary has higher scoring stability in their first two sets, averaging 25.0 in each. Their win average per match is 1.5, giving them a slight edge in set performance over MKA.

Common Opponents and Recent Results

Against common opponents, Montclair Kimberley Academy has a 1-1 record, while St. Mary has gone 0-3.

• Montclair Kimberley Academy Results:
  • Sept 27, 2024: MKA defeated Hoboken 2-1.
  • Oct 14, 2024: MKA fell to Secaucus 2-0.
• St. Mary Results:
  • Sept 13, 2024: St. Mary lost to Secaucus 2-1.
  • Oct 10, 2024: St. Mary again fell to Secaucus 2-0.
  • Nov 1, 2024: St. Mary lost to Hoboken 2-0.

Head-to-Head Outlook and Record Breakdown

This season, Montclair Kimberley Academy and St. Mary have not yet faced each other. The matchup will be a battle of MKA’s consistency against St. Mary’s higher win record and strong league performance.

St. Mary is notably dominant at home, while Montclair Kimberley Academy has struggled with away games. St. Mary’s league performance makes them a formidable opponent, but MKA’s resilience against shared opponents may provide an edge.

As both teams prepare for their next matches, fans can anticipate an intense matchup. Montclair Kimberley Academy will seek to leverage their home-court advantage while St. Mary will aim to extend their league-winning streak. With the season nearing its peak, every game matters, and both teams have much to prove.