Grace Baptist Girls Volleyball Team Aces Game with 3-2 Win

The girls’ volleyball team ofran its 2011 season record to 5-1 Wednesday with a 3-2 non-league victory over host First Baptist Christian School of Warwick, RI.    

Buoyed by the sterling play of Jamie Emerson, Hannah Johnson, Olivia Beals, Kelly Nichols, Carrie Kirby and Arianna Patterson, the Centurions won the first two games by scores of 25-20 and 30-28; lost the next two games by margins of 25-10 and 27-25; but rebounded in the fifth and final contest to post a 15-8 triumph, according to the school's press release.

“We almost ran out of gas, but put it back together in the fifth game and pulled it out,” GBCA Coach Billi Jo Nichols said. “It was a very good win for us.”         

Wins have been few and far in between for Centurion spikers in recent seasons, but this year is an exception. GBCA has defeated Massachusetts Association of Christian Schools rival Open Bible Christian School of Burlington, 3-1 (26-24, 25-14, 21-25, 25-16); Dublin Christian Academy of Dublin, N.H., 3-2 (25-21, 20-25, 23-25, 25-20, 15-13); Victory Christian Academy of Londonderry, N.H., 3-2 (25-22, 16-25, 22-25, 25-21, 15-8); and First Baptist earlier this season, 3-2 (25-19, 21-25, 24-26, 25-23, 15-5).

The Centurions suffered their only loss of the season to South Merrimack Christian Academy of Merrimack, N.H., 3-1 (9-25, 13-25, 25-17, 15-25).   

“The girls have played well this year and they’re starting to jell as a team,” Nichols said. “It’s very encouraging that we’ve been able to come from behind in most of our matches so far.”

Also playing for GBCA this fall are Jessica Rodrigues, Sabrina Choiniere, Gabby Choiniere, Abby Weeks, Marissa Plathe, Kayla Fontaine and Chelsea Oliveira.