By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
FENNVILLE—The volleyball match between archrivals Fennville and Saugatuck didn’t start exactly the way Blackhawks coach Rebecca Hughes had hoped.
Saugatuck took an early lead in the opening game and never looked back in securing the 25-17 win.
“The rivalry between Fennville and Saugatuck always brings a heightened mental intensity to this match,” Hughes said. “In our pre-game huddle, I addressed this directly. I told the girls, ‘I know this is Saugatuck, and I know we tend to get in our heads when we play them. But I also know what you’re capable of, so go out there and play the way I know you can.’
“Despite that message, we struggled in the first set.”
But the remainder of the match went much better for the Blackhawks, who regrouped to win the next three games and claim the 17-25, 25-22, 25-21, 25-17 victory.
“I think several factors contributed to our slow start,” Hughes said. “We hadn’t played a match in over a week, we had only two practices since the break and both our outside hitter and setter are rehabbing shoulder injuries.
“But give credit to Saugatuck. They played scrappy defense and made us work hard to put the ball away.”
When it came to putting the ball away, Lily Achterhof led the charge for Fennville.
Achterhof finished with a team-best seven kills. She also led the way with 13 digs and seven aces—she served 100 percent—to go with three assists.
Ceeley Howard and MacKenzie McIlwain added five and four kills, respectively, while Marynn Winne chipped in with three.
Winne also had nine digs, Howard had five digs and McIlwain had nine digs and 21 assists.
“I’m really proud of the girls for their resilience and perseverance,” Hughes said. “They may have started slow, but they dug in, stayed focused and earned the win.”
First-year Saugatuck coach Christina Lewis was also pleased with the effort she received from her team.
“Overall, I’m really proud of how we played,” she said. “The girls are coming together and working as a true unit.
“All week we focused on refining our individual positions and communicating to help everything align, and that really showed on the court. The girls played hard and kept their energy up the entire game. Unfortunately, we just weren’t able to seal the deal with a win.”
Natalia Laskowski and Ashlyn O’Neill tied for team-high honors with six kills, followed by Emma Gosler and Jocelyn Johnson with three each. Laskowski also had a team-topping 17 digs, which was one better than Gabbie Cochran’s 16.
Jocelyn Johnson served up three aces, with Penny Grob and Emma Gosler each finishing with two.
“Once again, freshman Gabbie Cochran anchored the back row with stellar defense, and freshman Jocelyn Johnson is beginning to shine as a middle hitter, adding excellent serving as well,” Lewis said.
Wednesday, September 10, 2025
