EAST ORANGE, NJ – After losing to Orange and Cedar Grove to start the season, the East Orange Campus High School varsity girls’ volleyball team has enjoyed a strong turnaround as the Lady Jaguars won 10 straight to improve to a 11-2 record.
The win streak ended with a loss to second-seeded Mount St. Dominic Academy, 25-14, 25-14, in the first round of the Essex County Tournament on Saturday, Oct. 21, in Caldwell.
EOCHS, under head coach Eric Ansah, avenged the loss to Cedar Grove on Oct. 2 at home, handing Cedar Grove its first loss in the Super Essex Conference-Colonial Division. With Cedar Grove later losing to Orange, the Jaguars are tied with Cedar Grove atop the SEC-Colonial Division standings.
The Jaguars, seeded 15th, defeated No. 18 seed Belleville, 25-9, 25-14, in the second preliminary round of the ECT on Oct. 19 at home.
The key players for the Jaguars are setter Jamilah Stevenson, who is “intelligent and aggressive” and outside and inside hitters Irianah Robinson and Briana Lewis, who have been dominant, said Ansah. Ty-Tiana Joachim also is an aggressive libero, added Ansah.
The Jaguars have two more matches in the division against Golda Och and Columbia. The team is looking to win the SEC-Colonial Division for the first time in program history.
In addition, “we are looking forward to the state tournament and we have high hopes of getting past the first round,” said Ansah.