Mother Seton Volleyball's Stellar Season Ends With States Loss

The Records: The Mother Seton Setters (24-3) took on the Immaculate Heart Academy Blue Eagles (23-1) at Bloomfield High School on Thursday in the NJSIAA non-public group semifinals. Immaculate Heart boasts one of the best teams in the state (ranked number 3 by the Star Ledger), and has won not only the sectional title, but also the State Tournament of Champions for the past three years.

The Final Score: 2-0, Immaculate Heart. Mother Seton came into this game knowing they were the underdogs, but the team was plenty able to keep up with the Blue Eagles in the first set, losing by a mere three points (25-22). The second set proved more difficult, as the Blue Eagles picked up the pace and continued to run the scoreboard. Senior Jouviane Alexandre gave the team their last chance for an uphill comeback when she stopped the Blue Eagle's rally and earned the Setters their last point. But the Blue Eagles immediately struck back and went on to win the set, 25-16.

On Friday, Immaculate Heart beat Union Catholic, winning the sectional title for their fourth straight year.

The Heroes: Senior Captain Lauren Mateo led the Setters with 5 kills and 1 block. Senior Jouviane Alexandre followed Mateo with 4 kills and 2 blocks. Junior Noelle Maertz aided the Setters with 10 assists and 8 digs.

The Quotes: “We went out there knowing we were the underdogs,” said Maertz. “We had nothing to lose. I think we played a great game and no one thought we’d even make it this far, but we did. We’re more than a team–no team is like us. I definitely want to make sure we keep it this way next year.”

The Season: This season ends with lots of impressive accomplishments: 24 wins, a Greater Middlesex County division championship for the third year in a row, and a spot in the GMC finals, where the team lost to Colonia. Watch our video for Coach Tom Moran's thoughts on the game and the season.

Download the movie