Ridge Girls Volleyball Heads to State Final After Upset Win Over Hunterdon Central

Information and photos courtesy of the Ridge Girls Volleyball Club

The Ridge Girls Volleyball team will head to the state Group 4 final on Saturday after an upset win over Hunterdon Central on Thursday night, a team that had beaten Ridge twice during the regular conference season.

The team will match up against North Hunterdon at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday at William Paterson University.

After beating No. 10-ranked Williamstown in the quarterfinals last Tuesday, the
Ridge team was pumped up and ready to face their toughest opponent,
Hunterdon Central, on Hunterdon Central's home turf.  

To get ready for the big match, the team had a pasta dinner party and
pep rally on Thursday where they were treated to an inspirational speech
from former N.Y. Giant, five-time pro bowler, and three-time Super Bowl Champion Bart Oates.  

Oates gave the team a pep talk, showed off his Super Bowl ring, and
even brought the Vince Lombardi Super Bowl Champion trophy to the pre-game event.

He told the girls they should go out and place their best game since there is no
pressure in being the underdogs and that is exactly what the Ridge team did.

The team played relaxed but solid. In the first set, Ridge took the lead early
and kept it throughout the set and won 28-26. They kept the pace going in
the second set and kept a 3-4 point lead for a while until Hunterdon Central
powered up and tied the set at 21-21.

It was back and forth but Ridge prevailed and won set 27-25 and the match. 

All Ridge Red Devil fans are invited to the final.