1A State Champion Addison Lady Bulldogs / Josh McBrayer
BIRMINGHAM – The 2017 1A AHSAA volleyball state tournament championship at Birmingham’s Bill Harris Arena was everything it was billed to be and more. Back and forth action, edge of your seat moments and extended set play made for a tremendous final match in the 2017 volleyball season between Winston County rivals, the four-time defending 1A state champion Addison Lady Bulldogs and the Meek Lady Tigers, with Addison coming out on top 26-28, 25-19, 25-19, 25-19.
Set one was the definition of a nail-biter as points went back and forth. The two teams played tight the entire set with neither squad able to gain much of an advantage. Good play around the net for both teams defined the set, but it was Meek that went up 1-0 thanks to a huge, set-ending kill from Amanda Cunningham who blasted the ball into the left side of the Addison defense. The kill found the court between two Lady Bulldog defenders for the 28-26 Meek victory.
Addison came out like a house on fire in the second set, scoring the first three points and proving why the Lady Bulldogs are the four-time defending state champions. Meek fought hard, but the tenacity of the Lady Bulldogs was too much to overcome as Addison took the second set 25-19 on a kill by Abbie Chambless. The set win pulled the Addison Lady Bulldogs even in the match, 1-1.
Set three was almost a mirror of set one, with the score going back and forth. However, late in the set, Addison distanced itself from Meek with strong serves, digs and blocks at the net. Addison took set three 25-19 and took a 2-1 match lead, one win away from the title.
Riding the momentum from sets two and three, Addison continued to shine. Great defense at the net, coupled with three huge kills down the stretch from Savannah Manley, led to a 25-19 set victory and a 3-1 match win making the Addison Lady Bulldogs the 1A state champions for the fifth straight year.
Leading the charge for Addison was Abbie Chambless with 20 kills and five blocks. Manley was next with nine kills. McKenzie Berry added six kills, Allie Chambless five, Tess Alvis had three and Natalie Jefferson had one.
Meek’s Sevanna Banks had 22 kills, Amanda Cunningham had 15, Kelsey Kilpatrick had five, Montana Barton had three and Jayden Waldrep had two.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Addison
Cecilee Gaither
Kendra Tyree
MVP Abbie Chambless
Meek
Sevanna Banks
Amanda Cunningham
Jayden Waldrep
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