Alexandra Hennessey scored the match point as Fletcher defeated Mandarin 25-18 to win its 6th consecutive Gateway Conference volleyball championship.
Hennessey was instrumental in the win for Fletcher. In the first set, she scored the tying point to rally the Senators who were down by 8. Mandarin’s Ellie Jackson, Taylor Boyd and Kylie Spraggins would power the Mustangs to an early lead. Yet an ace by Hennessey would give her team a lead to which they would not relinquish. A Bella Phillips spike saw Fletcher take the win in set one.
Set two saw Mandarin go on a 5-0 run and take a 13-9 lead thanks to points by Jackson and Spraggins. Yet Hennessey once again walked the Mustangs down scoring points for Fletcher. Two straight points brought them within one point of Mandarin. Once tied, Gillian Snowden delivered the kill for Fletcher to win the second set.
Fletcher would go on to defeat Mandarin in three straight sets 25-21, 25-23, and 25-18 to win the tournament. Coach Mark McGivern has done a masterful job guiding his lady senators to six consecutive titles. Fletcher is 16-2 on the season, defeating Parker and Atlantic Coast in the tournament before downing Mandarin. They will face Atlantic Coast (5-4) on 10/12 in the first round of the playoffs.
Mandarin (9-9) defeated Wolfson and Stanton before falling to Fletcher in the championship. The runners-up will face Oakleaf (8-9) in their playoff matchup on 10/13.
