Lady Wildcats end runner-up streak with three-set thriller
By TAYLOR BECK, Sports Editor
GUNTERSVILLE — For the first time in nearly a decade, Guntersville volleyball is back on top of Marshall County.
The Lady Wildcats defeated rival Arab in three sets Monday night at Supreme Courts in Guntersville to claim the 2025 Marshall County Volleyball Tournament Championship, snapping a five-year streak of finishing runner-up to the Lady Knights.
Guntersville’s 25-16, 22-25, 15-13 victory marked its first county crown since 2017, and it came against the program that had denied them every year since 2020.
“This is a great accomplishment, especially for our seniors that have been here all four years and been runner-up, runner-up, runner-up,” Guntersville head coach Melissa-Paul Gardner said. “The fact that they lasted all day, never got drained, and finished strong in a third tight set says a lot about them. I’m very proud and excited for them.”
The win didn’t come easy.
Arab jumped out to early leads in all three sets, forcing Guntersville to claw back. In the opener, the Lady Knights went ahead 3-0 before the Lady Wildcats steadied themselves, tying the score at 7-7 and then pulling away with an 18-9 run to win 25-16.
Arab responded in the second, never trailing in a wire-to-wire 25-22 victory. The Lady Knights surged ahead 17-8 before Guntersville closed the gap late, but Arab held on to even the match.
That set the stage for a tense tiebreaker.
Between the second and third sets, Gardner reminded her players of the belief they’d built all season.
“I told them we were the better team across the board,” Gardner said. “I’ve invested in them, they’ve invested in me, and they’ve invested in each other. I just said, ‘Don’t be tired. Don’t let the mentality of Arab across the net beat you. Let our true talent win this match.’”
Guntersville again trailed early, falling behind 8-5 before flipping the momentum with a 4-0 run to seize a 9-8 lead. The teams traded points down the stretch, tying five total times during the set, including at 11-11. The Lady Wildcats finally broke through, stringing together just enough plays to outlast Arab 15-13 and spark a long-awaited celebration.
Guntersville senior Mary George Vandergriff, named tournament MVP, led the All-Tournament Team alongside teammates Caroline Canady, Sydney Jarmon and Italey May. Arab’s Riley Fankhauser, Karli Gray and Tessa Monroe, Boaz’s Breanna Gentry and Rubee Brookes, Albertville’s Ansley Burns and Mylee Kate West, and Douglas’ Ella Kate Adams were also selected.
For Guntersville, Monday’s win was sweet, but Gardner was quick to turn her team’s focus toward the bigger stage ahead.
“I told them this is a huge accomplishment today,” she said. “But tomorrow it doesn’t mean much. At the end of the day, all we care about is a state championship. We’ve got to get back in the gym, keep working, and remember our goals.”
Guntersville is currently ranked No. 2 in Class 5A by AL.com and No. 5 in the statewide Power 10 rankings. The Lady Wildcats now boast a 38-4 record following the tournament (including pool play).
TOURNAMENT RESULTS
Opening Round
- No. 1 Guntersville def. No. 4 Asbury — 25-4, 26-6
- No. 2 Boaz def. No. 3 Brindlee Mountain — 25-4, 25-19
- No. 3 Albertville def. No. 2 Douglas — 25-18, 25-18
- No. 4 Arab def. No. 1 DAR — 18-25, 25-16, 15-12
(All four City schools advance, setting up an all-city semifinal round.)
Semifinals
- Guntersville def. Albertville — 25-21, 25-15. The Lady Aggies held a 15-13 lead in the first set before Guntersville rallied behind a late run to win 25-21. The Lady Wildcats dominated the second set, pulling away 25-15 to secure their spot in the title game.
- Arab def. Boaz — 25-18, 25-16. The Lady Knights raced to an 18-8 lead in Set 1 before holding off a Pirate push late. Set 2 was back and forth early, with Boaz briefly taking a 13-12 lead, but Arab surged down the stretch to close out the sweep.
Finals
- Guntersville def. Arab — 25-16, 22-25, 15-13
The Guntersville Lady Wildcats defeated rival Arab in three sets Monday night at Supreme Courts in Guntersville to claim the Marshall County Volleyball Tournament Championship for the first time since 2017. Photo by TAYLOR BECK l The Leader
