By RICH FISHER
Contributing Editor
St. John Vianney, Holmdel, girls’ volleyball coach Jessica Gadaleta has a formula for finishing a big meal, and she applies that same equation to navigating a season.
“How do you eat an elephant?” Gadaleta asked. “One bite at a time. And that’s our mantra for this season. We’re just taking it one match a time. We’ve got big goals, but we know it comes down to hitting a lot of little checkpoints along the way to make sure we get what we set out to do.
“We talked about our goals at the beginning of the season, and we keep them top of mind every practice and every match. We know we’ve got a message to send. You can’t win a Shore Conference (Tournament) title until you win your division title, you can’t win your division until you win your first match, and so on.”
The Lancers goals are deservedly big as they return three four-year starters in libero Gia Sergi, middle blocker Taylor Sofilkanich and outside hitter Genevieve Millett; two three-year starters with junior setter Ayana Warren and senior middle blocker Amelia Moro (who transferred in as a sophomore), and a two-year starter in defensive specialist Diana Mackiewicz.
All return from a team that went 23-5 last season and reached the SCT finals and NJSIAA South Jersey Non-Public A semifinals. This year they carry a 12-1 record into their Oct. 3 match with Middletown South and won the Brick Memorial Tournament in September.
“We knew coming into 2025 we would have a strong core returning,” Gadaleta said. “We had a few pieces we plugged in around them, but between our captains Taylor, Gen, Gia and Ayana, we knew going into this year they would put together something special.”
The St. John Vianney girls volleyball team was all smiles after defeating Old Bridge to win the Brick Memorial Tournament in September. Photo by Jessica Gadaleta
Sergi (120 digs, 42 aces) and Sofilkanich (57 kills, 20 blocks) will both be Division I athletes next year, although Sofilkanich is going to Duke for basketball while Sergi will play volleyball at Seton Hall.
“Gia Sergi is just a special kind of player,” Gadaleta said. “Not only is she gifted athletically, she’s the life, the energy the heart, the soul of our team. I couldn’t ask for somebody who’s a better teammate. She makes the kids around her better with the positivity and joy that she plays with.
“Taylor is another gifted athlete. She is the consummate competitor. If Gia is the sunshine, Taylor is the fire. They make a nice complement to one another.”
Millett (74 kills, 33 aces) is the third sibling from her family to come through the SJV program and recently set the school record for career kills.
“The leadership that core three has provided has been absolutely essential to our success,” Gadaleta said.
Moro (69 kills) will also play D-1 volleyball next year at Sacred Heart.
“She is one of the most intimidating presences on the court with her and Taylor in the middle,” Gadaleta said. “Taylor is 6-4, Amelia is 6-2, and they have a presence about them you can’t help but notice. Amelia has elevated her game to another level.”
Warren (258 assists) has run the offense since her freshman year and knows just how to work with talented teammates.
“She has all the tools and weapons around her, but she makes them better with her decision making,” Gadaleta said. “She’s really good at reading an opposing defense and creating space for her hitters.”
Mackiewicz (38 digs) has been a defensive anchor who has helped the offense.
“She has the most incredible read on the ball,” Gadaleta said. “The difference for us is our ability to transition. We’re constantly running an offensive transition and it’s been due in a large part to the passing of Diana and Gia.”
Two newcomers include sophomore libero/DS Carsyn Slicner (36 digs, 24 aces) and senior opposite Helen Domashinski (32 kills, 14 blocks).
“In the tradition of St. John Vianney great defenders Carsyn has stepped into that role and plays like a veteran,” Gadaleta said. “Helen has been quite a surprise. She is not a year-round volleyball player, but she is a gifted leaper and puts up a wall as a blocker. She can create crazy angles on her swing because she can get up there.”
In its 12 victories SJV has not dropped a set. It took a 3-0 win over Southern, which beat the Lancers in last year’s state semis. The Lancers are ranked No. 5 in New Jersey and their lone loss was 3-1 to No. 2 ranked Williamstown, a state dynasty.
“Beating (No. 16) Southern was quite an accomplishment,” Gadaleta said. “We had that sting from the states last year. Every year it’s a new team and new identity but it was definitely one we had circled on our calendar. At the last-minute Taylor couldn’t make it and that rattled us a little, but we had a sophomore (Daria Shnarevich) step up.”
Because the state tournament will be best-of-five this year (up from best-of-three), SJV scheduled five-set matches against its toughest opponents but left the other matches as best-of-three.
“I scheduled those for our Top 20 matches, so we get experience in those longer games,” Gadaleta explained.
Another best-of-five will be in the regular-season finale against No. 1 Princeton, the Group III state champion in 2023 and 2024. It is part of an intentionally rugged schedule designed to get a special group ready to compete for special things – and to do it in an unselfish manner.
“I’m very aware of how rare it is to have such high-quality athletes and even more rare to have a group of kids that love to play together,” Gadaleta said. “They’re all crazy about each other. No ego gets in the way, they just really enjoy competing together. They play with humility and they take responsibility for the team. I’m lucky my younger kids have them as role models to look at.”