Pope John, Mary Help, Gill St. Bernard's Advance
Three North Non-Public B girls volleyball teams won their first-round matches to reach the NJSIAA quarterfinals.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Volleyball
Pope John, Mary Help of Christians, and Gill St. Bernard's advanced to the quarterfinals of the NJSIAA North Non-Public B girls volleyball tournament, with MVPs named across four first-round matchups. Pope John beat Villa Walsh in four sets, while Mary Help of Christians and Gill St. Bernard's won in straight sets.
Why it matters
The first-round results set the field for the quarterfinal round of the state's North Non-Public B bracket, and the individual performances highlighted in the MVP coverage give New Jersey volleyball fans a snapshot of the teams still in contention.
Katarina Baker recorded 16 assists and 10 kills for Pope John, while Melissa Zdanowicz had 12 kills for Mary Help of Christians and Sierra Salko posted 15 kills, 15 digs, and 16 service points for Gill St. Bernard's. The extraction does not say how these totals compare with the players' season averages.
The players
Katarina Baker
Katarina Baker is a Pope John volleyball player whose 16-assist, 10-kill performance helped lead her team past Villa Walsh.
Melissa Zdanowicz
Melissa Zdanowicz is a Mary Help of Christians player who recorded 12 kills and six digs in her team's straight-set win over Pioneer Academy.
Sierra Salko
Sierra Salko is a Gill St. Bernard's player who posted 15 kills, 15 digs, and 16 service points in the team's win over Morris Catholic.
The details
Pope John bounced back from a second-set loss to beat Villa Walsh 25-23, 11-25, 25-20, 25-23. Mary Help of Christians beat Pioneer Academy in straight sets, and Gill St. Bernard's defeated Morris Catholic in straight sets as well.
Timeline
First-round NJSIAA North Non-Public B girls volleyball matches were played on November 4, 2026.
Season Trajectory
The three advancing teams move into the quarterfinal round of the North Non-Public B bracket, narrowing the field within the NJSIAA girls volleyball postseason. The extraction does not provide the teams' regular-season records or seeding.
The advancing teams will play quarterfinal matches in the NJSIAA North Non-Public B bracket, and fans following individual players can track their kill, assist, and dig totals in the next round. The extraction does not confirm quarterfinal dates or venues.
The takeaway
Early-round results in the NJSIAA bracket often reveal which teams are carrying the load offensively, and the MVP performances from these first-round matches are a useful guide for following the rest of the postseason.
Further reading
For more on the state's high school competition, see Volleyball coverage across New Jersey.
