New Kent knocks off undefeated George Mason to earn trip to championship game

New Kent's Haley Baker (9) angles her tap over the net to deceive George Mason blocker Katharine Teague.

Robb Johnson photo

A two-hour trip to northern Virginia and an undefeated George Mason Lady Mustangs team were the obstacles New Kent Lady Trojans’ volleyball team needed to overcome to claim a spot in the Group 3A state championship game. After overcoming nerves in the early goings, the result was New Kent claiming its first appearance in the volleyball state championship game since 2001.

New Kent outlasted George Mason 25-18, 25-14, 18-25, 25-17 to win the competitive contest on the Lady Mustangs’ home court.

In the opening set, the early jitters were evident, as New Kent committed several errors. However, George Mason failed to capitalize as Haley Baker used a deception tip score confuse the defense. Her tactic sparked a sequence that saw Aubrey Hyndshaw deliver an ace and a Jaiden McCoy tap to give the Lady Trojans a 6-5 lead. Momentum carried over as the visitors raced out to a 20-12 advantage, with Hyndshaw’s kill closing out the set with a win.

The second set followed suit as the first, with New Kent dominating the hosts through well placed serves and ball hitting. The result was the visitors capturing their second set and taking a 2-0 lead in the contest.

In frame three, George Mason fired back with intensity. Electing to use their power against a smaller, Lady Trojan team, the Lady Mustangs were able to rattle New Kent and capture the set 25-18, pulling within one game. The loss marked the Lady Trojans first dropped set since Mar. 25.

But undeterred, New Kent focused on not letting the experience of seven seniors on George Mason’s team lead ruin their opportunity for a championship contest. In the fourth stanza, New Kent mustered up the offense to jump out to a 16-9 lead. With their back against the wall, the Lady Mustangs chipped into the deficit, cutting it to four (19-15) as they worked to force a fifth game.

Despite the effort, it was a kill by Lady Trojan Julia Hathaway that elevated the final surge for the visitors. The decisive and match clinching score came when Haley Baker made a save to keep the ball over the net, forcing a miscommunication on behalf of the Lady Mustangs, ending George Mason’s undefeated season and propelling New Kent into the finals.

After the contest, New Kent Lady Trojan head coach Cynthia Burnett talked about her team being the aggressor in the contest.

“We kept putting pressure on them all night with our defense and our hitting,” commented the victorious head coach. “I thought Haley [Baker] played well as our setter all night.

“We had a little let down in game three and we were not passing well enough,” Burnett continued. “But they believed in themselves, the coaches believed in them, and they came back.”

Baker led the team with 32 assists, while McCoy notched 10 kills and Hyndshaw contributed with four aces as team leaders in the stats column.

The win now sends New Kent out west to Rustburg High School to play the Lady Red Devils in the Group 3A state championship game Friday night (Apr. 23).