East Girls Volleyball Beats Union City [Photos]

Chelsea Campbell might not be the biggest player on the court, but when Cherry Hill East's girls volleyball team needed some momentum against an unknown in Union City in the opening round of the playoffs Wednesday, it was Campbell who delivered.

The Cougars had just taken their first lead of the match on Aliyah Godwin's ace, when Campbell leaped up and cannoned one of her eight kills into the heart of the Union City defense, breaking things East's way in a set they'd never trail in again, on the way to a 25-21, 25-22, straight-set victory.

Finding that moment where they could get into a flow against a team they'd never seen before—the schools are separated by 86 miles—was key, Campbell said.

“We had no idea what their lineup was, we just tried to focus on what we were doing,” Campbell said. “In the beginning, we were kind of uncomfortable with the way they played—we weren't sure what they were going to do. After a while, we were able to adjust to it.”

What Campbell—ranked No. 11 in kills in Group 4 statewide—lacks in height, she more than makes up for in leaping ability, thanks to her experience in track and field, especially in the high jump.

With a front three all around six feet—including Ayleen Pittar, the leader in kills in Group 4—Union City presented a different challenge than most, though.

“A lot of times I'm dealing with a girl who's six feet tall,” Campbell said, “But when they walked in, I was like, 'whoa'.”

What Campbell didn't handle against the Eagles, teammate Natalia Majkut got to, adding seven kills of her own—including the match-clincher—to go with Campbell's effort.

Now it'll be East's turn to hit the road, getting a lengthy bus ride up to Basking Ridge in Somerset County, where they'll take on No. 5 Ridge in the second round.

Having to switch to being the road team—Ridge is 90 minutes away, if the traffic is good, more than twice as far as the longer road trips during the regular season—will be as much a challenge of focus as it will be physical, coach Scott Mooney said.

“Mentally, as an athlete, it takes some preparation,” he said. “It's important for us as a team to realize that the mental game of taking a two-hour bus ride before we play is not the same as driving over to a local high school.”

It'll also be important for the Cougars to find some momentum early and not play from behind, as they did in both sets against Union City, Campbell said.

“We have to learn just to stay confident and not worry about what they're doing,” she said. “It's just going to get harder and harder as we go into the playoffs.”