Grace Baptist Girls Volleyball Team Win State Tournament; Place Second in Region

In its first-ever appearance in the event, the girls’ volleyball team of of Attleboro recently placed second in the Region Tournament sponsored by the New England Association of Christian Schools in Williston, Vt.

Fresh off capturing the regular-season and State Tournament championships (both for the first time) of the Massachusetts Association of Christian Schools, the Centurions ousted archrival New England Baptist Academy of West Bridgewater, Mass. (3-1) in the semifinal round before falling to undefeated Emmanuel Christian Academy of Newington, Conn. (3-0), in the region final. GBCA concluded its 2011 campaign with a school-best 14-3 record.

Team members included Jamie Emerson, Olivia Beals, Hannah Johnson, Kelly Nichols, Carrie Kirby, Arianna Patterson, Jessica Rodrigues, Sabrina Choiniere, Gabby Choiniere, Abby Weeks, Marissa Plathe, Chelsea Oliveira, Head Coach Billi Jo Nichols and Assistant Coach Donna Emerson.

Against NEBA in the semifinals of the Region tourney, GBCA captured the first game by a 25-12 score before losing the second by a 29-27 count. The Centurions regrouped to capture the last two contests by tallies of 25-13 and 25-18 to defeat the Hawks for the fourth time this year.

After finishing second to GBCA in the MACS tournament the previous week, NEBA had earned a berth in the Region Tournament by eliminating the New York State champions in a special play-in match.

“Emmanuel was just too strong for us, but our girls still played well,” Coach Nichols said. “We had a wonderful season and I’m so proud of all of them and how hard they worked this year to improve themselves.”

Emerson and Beals were named to the All-Tournament squad for the Region Tournament.

Placing second in the region came after the team defeated New England Baptist Academy of West Bridgewater, 3-0, in the championship match of the 2011 State Tournament sponsored by the Massachusetts Association of Christian Schools in Lunenburg.

Sparked by the dominating all-around play of Jamie Emerson, the tourney’s Most Valuable Player, the Centurions swept the Hawks by scores of 25-11, 25-21 and 25-15, to clinch GBCA’s first-ever state championship in volleyball. Emerson received plenty of help from teammates Olivia Beals, Hannah Johnson, Kelly Nichols, Arianna Patterson and Carrie Kirby.

“All our girls played so well today and in both matches of the State Tournament,” said GBCA Coach Bill Jo Nichols. “They’re very excited to be the first volleyball team in our school’s history to win the state championship and I’m very proud of their performance.”

Emerson, Beals, Nichols and Johnson were all named to the All-MACS all-star squad for the 2011 season. GBCA will bring a 14-1 season record into the semifinal round of the New England Association of Christian Schools’ Region Tournament.