Old Tappan Tops Pascack Valley to Advance to Bergen County Semifinals

Photo Credits: High School Sports Elite

Old Tappan continued its strong postseason run with a 3–1 victory over Pascack Valley in the Bergen County Tournament quarterfinals on Saturday afternoon. The Knights took the match by scores of 25–15, 23–25, 25–17, 25–18 to improve to 13–3 on the season and earn a spot in the county semifinals.

Old Tappan opened the match with a dominant first set, using aggressive serving and efficient offense to seize control early. Pascack Valley responded in the second, capitalizing on a late run to even the match. The Knights quickly regrouped, tightening their defense and returning to form in the third and fourth sets to close out the win.

Junior Bianca Benasillo led the attack with 14 kills and 4 blocks, consistently finding openings in Pascack Valley’s defense. Senior captain Julia Whaley added 11 kills, 11 digs, and 2 aces, providing steady leadership throughout the match. Eva Curko delivered another standout performance, contributing 10 kills, 13 digs, 4 blocks, and 2 aces in a strong two-way effort.

Setter Joley Giordano controlled the offense with 32 assists and added 9 digs, while libero Adriana Bryan anchored the back row with 18 digs and 3 aces. Middle blocker Nadine Whaley added 4 kills and 3 blocks, and Gabriela Paltag chipped in 4 blocks up front. Desi Malafis helped from the service line with 2 aces and outstanding defense, and Kate Finn added an ace and 3 digs. McKenna Perez also contributed defensively with a dig.

The Knights’ depth and composure were key, as contributions came from every position. With the win, Old Tappan advances to the Bergen County semifinals, where they will face Tenafly in a rematch of last year’s postseason battle.

Source Link: https://highschoolsports.nj.com/game/1057860

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