Johanna Kovalewich has been a key factor of the Middlesex College Women's Volleyball resurgence in 2021. The team went 9-6 this season and qualified for the Region XIX playoffs for just the third time in program history.

Posted: Oct 22, 2021

WOMENS VOLLEYBALL SET TO TAKE ON HARRISBURG IN REGION XIX PLAYOFFS

The Middlesex College Women's Volleyball team has qualifed for the Region XIX Playoffs for the third time in the program's history and the first time in recent years. Head Coach Henry Romero will take his Colts to Harriburg, Pennsylvania to take on Harrisburg Area Community College for a quarterfinals matchup. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:00PM Monday, October 25.

Due to restrictions on the Harrisburg Area CC Campus, no spectators will be allowed at the event. The college plans to livestream the match through their website. Fans can click here for access.

Middlesex, seeded 6th in the tournament, finished the regular season with a record of 9-6 with four of their losses coming against Raritan Valley Community College and RCSJ-Gloucester, the 8th and 10th ranked teams, respectively, in the country.

Harrisburg Area Community College is the three seed in the Region XIX Tournament and comes into the match with a record of 9-4.

The turnaround of the Middlesex Women's Volleyball team has been nothing short of remarkable. In a Covid-shortened 2020 season, the Colts went just 1-8 and won just three sets all season. Coming into this season, Middlesex had lost 16 of their past 19 matches.

However, Coach Romero has been able to draw local talent to Middlesex and has become a master at fostering teamwork in putting together a successful 2021 campaign.

The team has been led by Johanna Kovalewich, a freshman from Colonia, New Jersey. Kovalewich has registered 171 kills in 15 matches this season, nearly triple that of the next highest total. Her 207 points also leads the Colts.

Kilanny-Ramos Adrian (Sophomore/Perth Amboy, NJ) has also played a key role in the Colts success this season. The setter led the team with 251 assists, an average of over five per set. Ramos-Adrian also led the team with a .517 hitting percentage.

Adrianna Pellei (Freshman/Sayreville, NJ) led the team with 51 service aces and middle blockers Rachel Erla (Sophomore/Sayreville, NJ) and Karla Berrios (Freshman/New Brunswick, NJ) led the team in blocks with 31 and 18, respectively.

The Colts worked through a huge loss when libero Emi Thai (Freshman/Old Bridge, NJ) suffered a season-ending injury in the season's ninth game. Despite playing just nine games, Thai still led the team with 160 digs, an average of 5.93 per set. Kelly Bartko (Freshman/Edison, NJ) has filled in well for Thai. Bartko was second on the team with a .462 hitting percentage.

Freshman opposite hitter Isabelle Shields (Freshman/Old Bridge, NJ) has been very consistent for the Colts all season. She played in all 50 sets this season and was third on the team in points with 86.