Fayetteville came up just short of a state title a year ago, but the Lady Purple Bulldogs come into this week's Class 7A state tournament with plenty of momentum.
Fayetteville (31-3-1) lost in the state finals last season but rolled through 7A-West Conference play unbeaten and has not lost to an Arkansas opponent this year. The Lady Purple'Dogs are led by a pair of sophomores, who are among the best young players in the country. Ella May Powell, a 5-foot-11 setter, and 6-2 outside hitter Haley Warner have formed a potent 1-2 punch this season and are already being recruited by some of the best college volleyball programs in the country.
State Volleyball First-Round Pairings
Class 7A
At Conway
Today
Game 1: 3W Springdale Har-Ber vs. 3E Little Rock Central, noon
Game 2: 2E Cabot vs. 5W Rogers Heritage, 2 p.m.
Game 3: 4W Fort Smith Southside vs. 3C Mount St. Mary, 4 p.m.
Game 4: 2C Bryant vs. 6W Rogers High, 6 p.m.
Wednesday
Game 5: 1C Conway vs. Game 1 winner, noon.
Game 6: 2W Bentonville vs. Game 2 winner, 2 p.m.
Game 7: 1E North Little Rock vs. Game 3 winner, 4 p.m.
Game 8: 1W Fayetteville vs. Game 4 winner, 6 p.m.
Class 6A
At Greenwood
Today
Game 1: 3S Lake Hamilton vs. 3E Jonesboro, noon.
Game 2: 2E Mountain Home vs. 5S El Dorado, 2 p.m.
Game 3: 4S Texarkana vs. 3C Siloam Springs, 4 p.m.
Game 4: 2C Russellville vs. 6S LR Parkview, 6 p.m.
Wednesday
Game 5: 1C Greenwood vs. Game 1 winner, noon.
Game 6: 2S Sheridan vs. Game 2 winner, 2 p.m.
Game 7: 1E Marion vs. Game 3 winner, 4 p.m.
Game 8: 1S Benton vs. Games 4 winner, 6 p.m.
Class 4A
at Mena
Today
Game 1: 1NW Shiloh Christian vs. 4NE Newport, noon.
Game 2: 1W Mena vs. 4C Lonoke, noon
Game 3: 3W Batesville Southside vs. 3W Arkadelphia, 2 p.m.
Game 4: 2NE Harrisburg vs. 3NW Gravette, 2 p.m.
Game 5: 1NE Brookland vs. 4NW Huntsville, 4 p.m.
Game 6: 1C Central Ark. Christian vs. 4W Ashdown, 4 p.m.
Game 7: 2W Fountain Lake vs. 3C Clinton, 6 p.m.
Game 8: 2NW Berryville vs. 3NE Jonesboro Westside, 6 p.m.
Class 3A
At Piggott
Today
Game 1: 1W Paris vs. 4S Cutter Morning Star, noon.
Game 2: 1S Episcopal Collegiate vs. 3N Bergman, noon.
Game 3: 1N Green Forest vs. 3C Harding Academy, 2 p.m.
Game 4: 2NE Walnut Ridge vs. 2N Alpena, 2 p.m.
Game 5: 1NE Hoxie vs. 3W West Fork, 4 p.m.
Game 6: 1C Atkins vs. 3NE Crowley’s Ridge Academy, 4 p.m.
Game 7: 2C Conway Christian vs. 2S Jessieville, 6 p.m.
Game 8: 2W Booneville vs. 3S Marianna Lee, 6 p.m.
Fayetteville coach Jessica Phelan said one thing that's made this group special is how different players have stepped forward when some starters have been sidelined by injuries.
"I feel like we're playing really good volleyball right now," Phelan said. "We've had some of our starters out here and there, but it seems like we haven't skipped a beat."
That could be necessary this week, too, since 6-2 junior middle Faith Waitsman has been out with an ankle sprain the past couple weeks. Phelan said Waitsman's status for the state tournament is uncertain, but having a first-round bye and and an extra day to rest is helpful.
Defending state champion Bentonville (22-11) could be Fayetteville's biggest obstacle, but the Lady Tigers have lost two competitive matches to their 7A-West rivals this season.
Class 6A
Siloam Springs heads into the state tournament with an 8-24 record. The Lady Panthers have four seniors, who all see playing time. But two freshmen are among a group of talented underclassmen, who could make the future bright. Siloam Springs takes on Texarkana in the first round at 4 p.m. today in Greenwood.
The Lady Panthers have lost in the quarterfinals for the past four years in a row, after seven consecutive state finals appearance and six state titles.
Class 4A
Shiloh Christian enters the state tournament having won 19 of its last 20 matches.
The Lady Saints (25-9-1) are led by 5-11 outside hitter Reagan Robinson, who has verbally committed to play at Arkansas. Shiloh Christian, which finished as state runner-up to Mena last year, appears to be on a collision course with the Lady Cats again as the two conference champions are on opposite sides of the bracket. Shiloh Christian is unbeaten against 4A competition.
The Lady Saints open play today at noon against Newport in Mena. Gravette and Huntsville also earned state tournament berths out of the 4A-1 Conference.
Class 3A
West Fork (11-12) finished sixth in the regular season but won three matches in one day -- including the first win against Mansfield in program history -- to take the No. 3 seed from the 3A-1 Conference.
West Fork coach Lisa Kirk said her young team played its best ball of the season in the tournament.
"We just have one senior, my setter Spencer Sagely," Kirk said. "She's been our catalyst. She makes us go, but I've got four juniors that played the majority of the time. That will give us a good core coming back. Holly Griffin has been our best hitter and blocker. When she's on the front row, we have a good chance to score."
Kirk said sophomore middle Sara Blackard has made a big step forward, but the emergence of junior outside hitter Sara Greenlee was a big reason for the Lady Tigers getting to the state tournament. West Fork opens the tournament against Hoxie today at 4 p.m. in Piggott.
Sports on 10/27/2015