Bryant Coach Julie Long knew her girls soccer team was ready to make another run toward the Class 7A state championship match when it beat defending champion Bentonville earlier this season.
That 3-2 victory March 7 at a tournament in Fort Smith gave the Lady Hornets just what they needed after falling short against the Lady Tigers in the 2014 state title game.
Soccer championships
All games at Razorback Field in Fayetteville
BOYS
TODAY’S GAMES CLASS 4A
Central Arkansas Christian vs. Danville, noon
CLASS 5A
Pulaski Academy vs. De Queen, 4 p.m.
SATURDAY’S GAMES CLASS 6A
Siloam Springs vs. Russellville, noon
CLASS 7A
Bentonville vs. Fort Smith Northside, 4 p.m.
GIRLS
TODAY’S GAMES CLASS 4A
Central Arkansas Christian vs. Gentry, 10 a.m.
CLASS 5A
Pulaski Academy vs. Little Rock Christian 2 p.m.
SATURDAY’S GAMES CLASS 6A
Siloam Springs vs. Searcy, 10 a.m.
CLASS 7A
Bryant vs. Fayetteville, 2 p.m.
Softball championships
All games at Bogle Park, Fayetteville
TODAY’S GAMES
CLASS 7A
North Little Rock vs. Cabot, 10 a.m.
CLASS 5A
Vilonia vs. Paragould, 12:30 p.m.
CLASS 4A
Mena vs. Bauxite, 3 p.m.
CLASS 3A
Harding Academy vs. Bald Knob, 5:30 p.m.
SATURDAY’S GAMES
CLASS 6A
Sheridan vs. Greenwood, 10 a.m.
CLASS 1A
Concord vs. Scranton, 12:30 p.m.
CLASS 2A
Spring Hill vs. Buffalo Island, 3 p.m.
"That game helped give them a little bit of confidence," Long said.
Bryant, which returned seven starters from 2014, went on to put together a 20-2 season and earned another shot at Bentonville, this time in the semifinals of the Class 7A state tournament.
returned seven starters from a team that lost to Bentonville in the 2014 state title game, and with the early-season victory over the Lady Tigers, the Lady Hornets didn't slow down from there.
Bryant won again, this time 2-1 on its home field at Hornet Stadium, and advanced for the second consecutive season to the Class 7A state championship game, where it will face Fayetteville at 2 p.m. Saturday at Razorback Field in Fayetteville.
"Bentonville produces great teams year in and year out," Long said. "I told my girls that we were evenly matched from the beginning. I felt like if we could play 10 times, it would go 5-5. The team that wins will have wanted it the most.
"The girls wanted it more being on the home field."
"When they stepped on the field, they made their presence known."
Bryant had never played in a girls soccer state final before last season, but a year later the Lady Hornets return to Northwest Arkansas looking for the program's first title.
Caroline Campbell has scored 40 goals for the Lady Hornets, whose only losses have come against Little Rock Christian and Conway. Senior Maddie Hawkins leads Bryant in goal, and her play against Bentonville in the semifinals last Saturday was critical. Hawkins came up with four key saves in the second half.
"She didn't want to feel the way she did last year when McKenzie [Dixon] scored on her," Long said. "Having that experience and just knowing what they know now, it will help them this year."
Fayetteville (16-6-1) is back in the state championship game for the first time since 2010 after it defeated Springdale Har-Ber 5-4 on penalty kicks in the other state semifinal.
Bryant has beaten Fayetteville twice this season, 3-1 on March 6 in Fort Smith and 2-0 on April 11 in a tournament in Russellville.
Long said the key for Bryant will be not getting overconfident.
"The girls have worked hard," Long said. "They're trying to get better. They don't think they're going to just walk out there and think they're just going to win.
"Fayetteville plays very direct soccer. We have to play the way we play. If we can control that, we have a good chance at it."
Sports on 05/22/2015