Grace Baptist Christian Academy Volleyball, Soccer Teams Claim League Titles

The girls’ volleyball and boys’ soccer teams of of Attleboro clinched their respective regular-season championships of the Massachusetts Association of Christian Schools with victories Friday over Open Bible Academy of Burlington.

The Centurions’ volleyball squad rallied for a 3-2 triumph (25-21, 22-25, 17-25, 25-11, 15-11) over OBA, while their soccer combine blitzed the Eagles by a 13-4 tally.

GBCA’s volleyball unit regrouped after shaky performances in the second and third games to dispose of Open Bible behind the strong play of Jamie Emerson, Hannah Johnson, Olivia Beals, Kelly Nichols, Carrie Kirby, Arianna Patterson and Jessica Rodrigues. The Centurions are now 10-2 overall this season and 5-0 against league rivals, with one regular-season match remaining.

In other recent MACS outings, GBCA twice narrowly defeated New England Baptist Academy of West Bridgewater, 3-2 (19-25, 15-25, 25-18, 25-11, 17-15), and 3-2 (11-25, 25-21, 25-18, 16-25, 16-14), as well as Twin City Christian School of Lunenburg, 3-1 (22-25, 25-14, 25-16, 25-15). In non-league tussles, the Centurions topped Victory Christian Academy of Londonderry, N.H., 3-2 (11-25, 25-21, 25-18, 16-25, 16-14), and lost to South Merrimack Christian Academy of Merrimack, N.H., 3-0 (14-25, 20-25, 13-25).

GBCA’s boys’ soccer contingent received a four-goal effort from A.J. Russell and two-goal outputs from Lee Nichols, Ben Crichton, Christian Kunsch and Alex Rodrigues to highlight its decisive victory over Open Bible. Parker Desautels also netted a goal for the Centurions, who improved to 14-0 this fall and 5-0 opposite MACS rivals.

Earlier, GBCA throttled Twin City, 13-2, in a MACS encounter thanks to Russell’s three-goal performance and two scores by Nichols. Kunsch, Rodrigues, Parker Desautels, Cam Desautels, Tyler McGee, Nate Corkum, Andrew Schoepfer and Italo Moraes all found the back of the net for the Centurions.

In a non-league tilt, GBCA overwhelmed Bradford Christian Academy, 11-2, when Russell, Nichols and Kunsch all netted two goals. Corkum, Cam Desautels, Schoepfer, Connor McLernon and Will Evans added one goal apiece for the winners.

GBCA’s volleyball and soccer teams will both seek state championship crowns next weekend (Oct. 28 and 29) when the MACS sponsors its annual state tournament at Twin City.