The Chiefs have another trophy. With a win over Greater Atlanta Christian in the Class 5A finals, McIntosh has claimed their seventh state volleyball championship.
The champion Chiefs are Ava Underwood, Rylinn McKillop, Lina Wang, Mya Conley, Taylor Elston, Mackenzie Craig, Sofia Pruden, Jacqueline Fournier, Baylee Tanton, Izzy Zamboni, Claudia Meditz, Lauryn Fiscus, Catherine Swanson, and Leslie Johns.
They are coached by Kurt Lewis and Holley Hayes.
“Winning the state championship is extremely exciting. It is a reflection of the hard work that the girls put in all season long and how hard they fought to become better each week,” said Coach Hayes. “While we knew at the beginning of the season that this team had the potential to win a state championship, we did not often dwell on it throughout the season, so ending with the state championship is very rewarding.”
In the title game, McIntosh won a thriller in five sets over Greater Atlanta Christian (19-25, 25-16, 25-23, 15-25, 15-13).
The Spartans took the opener, but the Chiefs battled back with a dominating second set and a close win in the third set. On the verge of a win, they saw GAC respond with a big win in the fourth set. In the decisive set, the Chiefs dug deep to win 15-13 and hoist another championship trophy.
“The key to beating GAC was remaining balanced. We have a very balanced offense with strong hitters in each position. We also have a very strong and consistent defense,” said Coach Lewis. “The balance of our team is incredibly special. There is no one superstar. Winning this championship required each girl on the court to play incredibly well. They are very unselfish and trust each other on the court to get the job done.
Mya Conley led the attack with 11 kills, and Lina Wang and Claudia Meditz each added 10. Sofia Pruden, Jacqueline Fournier, and Wang each served up 3 aces. Meditz posted 3 blocks. Ava Underwood tallied 15 digs, and Fournier added 14. Pruden posted 37 assists.
Great achievement gals!