Rutherford never felt the game was slipping away even when it stared at the wrong end of a 21-14 score in the third set against Sparta.
There was good reason behind it, as Mia Capobianco was set to serve and Jenna Rogers was rotating to the front row.
Everything clicked from there.
The top-seeded Bulldogs, No. 4 in the NJ.com Top 20, rallied for an 11-1 run and took down fourth-seeded Sparta (19-25, 25-22, 25-22) in the semifinal round of the Group 2 Tournament in Rutherford.
“We’re a team of seniors and we refuse to lose,” said Jenna Rogers, who had 23 kills. “There’s not a team that I’d rather play with and I knew we were winning this game. No way am I losing on my home court.”
Over the past two seasons, Rutherford has stayed surprisingly calm with its back against the wall and is 9-2 in games where it has lost the first set, including last year’s sectional final against Pinelands.
It was Rogers’ final two kills that gave her team its first lead of the final set at 24-22.
With Sparta trying to fend off elimination, a swing from MacKenzie Wiggins deflected off of Rogers and out of bounds but neither official saw it and match point was awarded to Rutherford.
“She’s a national champion,” said Rutherford coach Helen Antzoulides of Rogers. “There’s a mindset that’s second to none. There was no way she wasn’t going to give whatever she had for her teammates and for herself. That’s what champions do.”
As for Capobianco, her service run in the latter stages of the second set helped her team build a four-point lead at 24-20, the biggest lead Rutherford had in the match. She then came up big towards the end of the third as the Bulldogs were climbing their way back into it. The senior also had 26 assists.
“She’s been big since she was a freshman when she would come in and serve hard,” said Antzoulides. “She always has that strong serve. She’s back there serving and Jenna’s in the front line, all things can roll.”
This rollercoaster win sets up a rematch with third-seeded Demarest in the Group 2 final on Saturday at William Paterson.
It was Demarest capturing a state title in 2018 with a 25-13, 25-9 win that left a sour taste in Rutherford’s mouth.
A chance for revenge sits just three days away.
“We want nothing more,” said Rogers. “That was our goal from the beginning of the season and we’re going to do it. I have no doubt.”
Brian Bobal may be reached at bbobal@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Brian on Twitter @BrianBobalHS. Like NJ.com High School Sports on Facebook.
