Maggie Carcillo, a ‘Swiss Army knife’ for Paul VI’s volleyball team, leads top-seeded Eagles in postseason

Picture any character in the Matrix movie franchise as he or she stares at a computer screen, deciphering green lines of code that look like gobbledygook to the uninformed.

That must be what it’s like to witness Maggie Carcillo do her thing during a volleyball match.

The Paul VI junior is a 6-foot setter who expertly wields size, strength, deft touch, and an uncanny capacity for empathy while leading one of the area’s top teams into the playoffs.

“I don’t know if there’s a player in the state of New Jersey or tri-state area that does what she does,” said Paul VI coach Daniel Chung. “She’s the ultimate Swiss Army knife.”

On Saturday, Carcillo and the top-seeded Eagles clobbered visiting Red Bank Catholic, the No. 8 seed, 25-5 and 25-9, in the quarterfinals of the NJSIAA South Jersey Non-Public A tournament. The Eagles will host No. 4 seed St. John Vianney in Tuesday’s semifinals.

In addition to team captain, Carcillo, 16, also plays conductor, reading the defense, its weaknesses, and the tempo of the game, while simultaneously feeding her biggest hitters when, where, and how they like the ball.

“It’s a complex job,” Carcillo said, sitting inside a conference room at the school, “but for me, I’ve been doing it for so long that it’s kind of become second nature. I just completely love it. I mean, it goes along with my life. I love helping people and by setting [in volleyball], I’m helping [my teammates].”

Since middle school, Carcillo, who transferred to Paul VI last year, explained that she was often sought by friends when they were upset, had a dilemma, or needed help with schoolwork.

Considering the many places she’s lived — New York, New Jersey, and then moving twice within Virginia, and then moving two additional times from Springfield, Delaware County to South Jersey — becoming a trusted confidant at nearly every stop might beg further inquiry.

An act of kindness minutes later provided answers.

As Carcillo spoke, a harsh bell blared from the school’s loudspeaker, startling a reporter in the room who, unbeknownst to Carcillo, has a neurological condition.

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Recognizing the reporter’s discomfort, Carcillo paused minutes later — while explaining the nuances of playing setter — to forewarn of a second bell.

“I guess I’m good at sensing other people’s energy,” Carcillo said later. “I think I’m kind of good at seeing what’s going through their mind without them telling me. Kind of reading their body language, their attitude. So if someone’s not having a good game, I’m encouraging them a lot more. Or getting them the ball more so they get out of their funk.”

That also comes in handy while she’s deciphering defenses, dictating tempo, and timing touches with a hitter’s four-step or two-step approach.

One option is fellow junior Megan Evans, an outside hitter committed to the University of Connecticut. Senior hitter Kass Avant, a New Haven recruit, is another possibility. Carcillo also can rotate to hitter or blocker, making her even more versatile.

Being an excellent student who was recently added to the National Honor Society also might help her grasp the intricate responsibilities each role entails.

It certainly doesn’t hurt that she’s also a student of the game.

“I watch film probably every day,” she said. “If it’s not every day, it’s about six times a week. Whether it’s my film, someone else’s film, opponent’s film, or the best colleges in the country, I watch it because I want to learn more and it increases like my IQ.”

That dedication is something Carcillo credits to her early basketball days with Baker Hoops, the AAU squad run by Gabe Baker, father of current Drexel standout and Cardinal O’Hara alumna Amaris Baker.

Carcillo, a first-team All-Catholic League volleyball selection at O’Hara as a freshman, also comes from athletic stock.

Her mother Alycia played several sports growing up in Virginia and in 1993 helped form a club women’s club lacrosse team at Marist University, which now has a Division I women’s team.

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Carcillo’s father, Scott, played professional volleyball and basketball in Germany. And 5-year-old Carcillo got hooked on volleyball watching her older sister, Anya, now 24, play in high school.

“We are tremendously proud,” Scott Carcillo said via phone. “She’s a great kid. She’s a great friend. She’s a great family member. … And she’s driven and determined, but still caring and compassionate. We couldn’t be more proud.”

The feeling is mutual.

“My mom taught me how to be me, how to love myself, and how to play volleyball,” Carcillo said. “My parents are the most selfless people I know.”

Carcillo isn’t sure where she will play in college. She is courting interests from Division I, II, and III schools.

One thing is certain, though: Wherever she lands, her No. 1 fan won’t be far behind.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun to see who she becomes,” Alycia Carcillo said via phone. “I gave birth to my favorite player. And I can’t wait to see how she develops.”