BLOOMFIELD — The 10th-seeded Bloomfield High School boys volleyball team upset No. 2 seed Livingston in a thrilling five-game match in the quarterfinal round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s North Jersey, Group 4 state sectional tournament on May 29 at Livingston.
Bloomfield lost the first game 25-21 and won the second game 25-16. Livingston won the third game 25-17, but Bloomfield won the fourth game 25-19 and the deciding fifth game 18-16.
Senior Tajay Gentles had 18 kills and 6 digs; freshman Malaka Vichkulwrapan had 8 kills and 10 digs; seniors Adrian Santos and Matthew Merchan each had 12 digs; senior Alessandro Barrionuevo had 5 kills, 5 blocks and 7 digs; junior Matthew Sagbay Hernandez had 39 assists and 6 digs; junior John Follante had 7 kills; senior Daniel Lucero had 6 kills and 5 blocks; junior Logan Mosquera had 3 digs; and junior Angel Rosario had 2 kills and 7 blocks to lead the Bengals.
Bloomfield, which improved to 12-17 on the season, was scheduled to visit No. 3 seed Passaic County Tech in the semifinal round on June 2 after press time. The other semifinal pitted No. 4 seed Elizabeth at No. 1 seed Union. The final is June 5.
The Bengals, under longtime head coach Louis Stevens, avenged losses in two meetings with Livingston in this Super Essex Conference–American Division this season.
The Bengals defeated No. 7 seed West Orange 25-18, 25-20, 25-19 in the first round on May 27. Gentles had 19 kills and four digs; Vichkulwrapan had 12 kills and 10 digs; Merchan collected 15 digs; Hernandez posted 37 assists and 11 digs; Barrionuevo had five kills, four blocks and three digs; and Santos added eight digs.
BHS avenged a Super Essex Conference crossover divisional loss to West Orange on May 7 at home. This is Stevens’ 22nd year at the BHS helm, taking over in the spring 2005.
About the Author
