The GISA Class AA No. 3 state-ranked Griffin Christian Lady Crusaders volleyball team has been steamrolling opponents all season long, but there’s one foe the Lady Crusaders haven’t been able to top — the Calvary Christian Lady Knights.

The Lady Knights, No. 2 state-ranked in GISA Class AAA, pinned the first loss on the Lady Crusaders Sept. 20 in Columbus and Tuesday evening in Griffin they pinned loss No. 2 on the Lady Crusaders, beating GC 3-0 to sweep the season series.

GC falls to 20-2 on the season while Calvary improves to 16-3.

“That team is very tough. We played well but Calvary played better, that’s all,” said GC coach Charles Stephens. “I’m proud of our girls — they put up a fight all night long.”

The Lady Knights were hot from the start. They won Game 1 by the score of 25-21 and jumped out to a 15-8 lead on GC in Game 2. Any momentum the Lady Crusaders tried to seize in Game 2 was thwarted due to kill shots from Calvary’s Mary McCarty and Leslie Dupree, among others. A kill shot from GC’s Brittany Foster got the Lady Crusaders within 8 at 19-11, but they couldn’t get any closer. GC defender Savannah Newman’s block for a point made the score 24-15, but Calvary went on to score on the next play to win Game 2, 25-15.

Game 3 was a barn burner. GC setter Madison Bertelsbeck had a nice tip shot for a point to put GC up 4-2, but Calvary rallied to tie the game at 4-all seconds later. With Calvary leading 15-12, Stephens called a timeout and that seemed to refocus the Lady Crusaders. Foster served three straight shots to tie the game at 15 and the Lady Crusaders looked to seize momentum again. But Calvary was unfazed, scoring three straight points of its own to take an 18-15 lead. GC responded by going on a 4-0 run, sparked by a nice tandem block for a point by Bertelsbeck and Newman, to give GC its final lead of the game, 19-18.

In the end, GC made a few too many mistakes and the Lady Knights made the right shots at the right times and closed Game 3 on a 7-3 run to win the game and the match, 25-22.

GC’s next match is a road contest at Grace Baptist Friday at 6 p.m.

GRIFFIN CHRISTIAN VOLLEYBALL

Date Opponent Time

8/20 Heritage W 3-1

8/21 @ Stratford W 3-1

8/24 Sherwood* W 3-0

8/25 Trinity JV% W 3-0

8/25 Skipstone% W 3-0

8/27 @ Heritage W 3-1

8/28 Holy Spirit W 3-1

8/30 Oak Mtn. W 3-0

9/4 Heirway W 3-0

9/6 Stratford W 3-0

9/10 Skipstone W 3-0

9/11 @ Arlington W 3-0

9/13 @ Mt. de Sales W 3-1

9/17 Harvester W 3-2

9/18 @ Skipstone W 3-0

9/20 @ Calvary L 3-0

9/24 Arlington W 3-0

9/25 @ Holy Spirit W 3-2

9/27 Mt. de Sales W 3-0

9/28 @ Sherwood* W 2-1

9/28 @ Grace* W 2-0

10/2 Calvary L 3-0

10/5 @ Grace 5:00

10/5 @ Lafayette* 6:00

10/9 Lafayette* 6:00

10/16 @ Oak Mtn. 6:00

10/19 @ Heirway 6:00



* — Varsity Region Games

% — Skipstone Tournament