OXFORD — The North Montgomery Volleyball team knew the task wouldn’t be easy Saturday. The Chargers faced off against host school Benton Central in the Class 3A Sectional 20 tournament. The Bison were able to pick up a three-game sweep of the Chargers (25-7, 25-9, 25-12).
The loss ended the Chargers season with a record of 6-19. Under first-year head coach Whitney Hutson, the Chargers improved off their four-win season a year ago. Despite facing a tough opponent, Hutson’s team never backed down from the challenge and even had a 6-6 tie with the Bison in the third set before Benton Central pulled away.
“They came out really strong in that third set,” Hutson said of her team. “We were playing really good defense and hustling to the ball and that’s what we needed. Benton Central has some really hard hitters out there which maybe scared our girls a little bit, but they didn’t back down and kept fighting.”
Junior Ashlynn Anderson led the Chargers with eight kills and 11 digs. Madi Welch recorded 10 assists. Lizzie Martin had six digs and Gabby Blankenship ended the match with four digs.
“They never gave up in any match,” Hutson said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better team to coach in my first year. Our four seniors did whatever was asked of them this year. All of them are very strong passers and really great players.”
The four seniors are Martin and Blankership, Rachel Fedor and Haley Burton.
Next year’s team will feature six rising seniors and five rising juniors.
