On April 16, Edison High’s boys varsity volleyball team had a major upset against the 2023 Group 2 defending state champs St. Joes Metuchen, emerging victorious against the powerhouse in a close match to give the Eagles an 8–1 seasonal record. The Eagles won the match after three sets, the final score being 2–1 in favor of Edison.
St. Joseph dominated the first set with a score of 25–16. Edison recovered efficiently to turn the match around, winning the next two sets 25–15 and 25–23 respectively.
Among the many players that stepped foot on the court, there were many stand-out performances from the Eagles. Gavin Garcia ‘25, Edison’s setter, made a match-high twenty assists, setting his hitters up for success. This performance marked his fourth game of the season, where he obtained at least twenty assists.
Brady Boslet ‘24 was another significant contributor towards Edison’s victory. Boslet constantly kept the ball off the ground, acquiring a team-high eleven digs. This game represents the highest number of digs in a single match this season for Boslet, with ten digs against Iselin Kennedy and Woodbridge.
Other notable contributors to the defensive effort were Kirtan Amin ‘25, the team’s libero and defensive specialist, and Mohammad Haady ‘24, Edison’s outside hitter. Amin and Haady obtained nine digs each, anchoring the team defensively en route to their victory.
The serving game was dominated by Garcia and Amin, who were crucial in securing the victory for Edison. Garcia and Amin secured ten service points, each acquiring an “A • C • E, ACE,” in the process. With this game, Amin tied for his season high in service points, obtaining eight service points in the second game against Woodbridge this year.
Boslet once again led his team to victory with his stand-out defensive performance. He blocked the ball twice, preventing the ball from entering his side of the court. Ajit Sivakumar ‘25, Haady, and Adrian Zapala ‘24 also made notable contributions to the blocking effort, blocking the ball once.
The offense was led by Sivakumar, who had a total of twelve kills. Aside from being the team high, Sivakumar’s offensive performance in this game was also his season high, with his next best performances being against Woodbridge, J.P. Stevens, and South Brunswick, where he got eight kills. Sivakumar was named the match’s Most Valuable Player (MVP), crediting his offensive ability and teammates’ trust in him to always pull through and score a point.
Accompanying Sivakumar in the offensive effort, Haady was another notable asset, accumulating eight kills. Like Sivakumar, this performance was his season high, closely followed by his seven kills against Iselin Kennedy in the opening match.
Edison as a whole dominated certain metrics, including attaining 48 digs compared to just thirty for St. Joseph.
“The victory over St. Joes Metuchen felt rewarding and on-target,” said Head Coach Mr. Jason Wernlund. “The amount of work they put in and results we are seeing shows that we are moving in the right direction as a team.”
This win marks Edison’s best performance in the first nine games. With this victory, Edison stands as the top seed in the White Division, looking to maintain their momentum in future games.
Currently, Edison boys volleyball stands at a record of 10–1. Further game statistics can be found at nj.com.