With Stephanie Occhiogrosso out of the lineup, Ridge went from a legitimate state title contender to a team that nearly missed the playoffs.

Occhiogrosso, a Bucknell commit, missed most of the regular season with a right shoulder injury. But, when she returned, she propelled Ridge, No. 6 in the NJ.com Top 20, back to the top as it rallied to win its second straight Somerset County Tournament title, and, as a 24-seed, reached the final of the Group 4 state tournament.

Occhiogrosso's numbers aren't glaring because of the number of matches that she missed, but her presence at the net made a difference -- for everyone. She finished with 128 kills in 12 matches. But, her play on the court was only one factor. Her return gave a confidence boost to the entire program as it defeated Clifton, No. 13 Livingston, No. 9 North Hunterdon, and No. 20 Hillsborough on the road in the state tournament.

With opponents focused on stopping Occhiogrosso, Ridge's secondary offensive weapons were able to have impacts on those matches down the stretch, making the Somerset County program one of the most dangerous in the state.