PREP VOLLEYBALL: Shiloh Christian finishes off perfect 4A-Northwest run

Shiloh Christian’s Kate Brown digs a ball during Thursday’s 4A-Northwest Conference match against Pea Ridge at Pea Ridge Arena. The Lady Saints rallied for a 20-25, 23-25, 25-21, 25-18, 15-7 victory to improve to 16-0 in the conference.
(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)
Shiloh Christian’s Kate Brown digs a ball during Thursday’s 4A-Northwest Conference match against Pea Ridge at Pea Ridge Arena. The Lady Saints rallied for a 20-25, 23-25, 25-21, 25-18, 15-7 victory to improve to 16-0 in the conference. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)

PEA RIDGE -- Shiloh Christian finished their perfect run through the 4A-Northwest Conference on Thursday evening, but not without a fight from Pea Ridge.

The Lady Saints (25-4-3, 16-0 4A-Northwest) climbed out of an 0-2 hole to notch a tough 20-25, 23-25, 25-21, 25-18, 15-7 win at Blackhawk Gymnasium.

Junior Ryan Russell, who finished with a team-high 22 kills, gave Shiloh Christian a spark early in the fifth set with three kills and a service ace to help her team to a 7-3 lead and the Lady Saints never really looked back.

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Shiloh Christian coach Nathan Bodenstein couldn't have been more pleased with the composure of his team.

"Pea Ridge, we know they're good," Bodenstein said. "It's Senior Night. They are a tremendous defensive ballclub. They were playing well. They know what we want to go to.

"Ryan had to work really hard for her kills. Our middles hurt them a lot the last time we played. They still produced this time, but it was just a lot harder to get there."

Russell had plenty of help offensively as Madelyn Sestak added 18 kills, Rylee Kalleen chipped in 12. Freshman Paige Addington also chipped in nine in just her second varsity match.

Shiloh Christian also did well defensively, racking up more than 100 digs as a team in the match that included many long rallies. Freshman Bella Bonanno led the way with 30 digs and Savvy Williams was next with 21. Freshman setter Laila Creighton dished out 55 assists to go with five aces -- including the final two points of the match.

[PHOTO GALLERY: Shiloh Volleyball at Pea Ridge: nwamedia.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Shiloh-Christian-vs-Pea-Ridge-Volleyball-October-14-2021]

"When we went down 0-2 I never thought 'Well, we don't have a chance," Bodenstein said. "Y'all are 15-0 in conference. You have a chance. You've just gotta play better than them. Their defense was unreal.

"I thought the hard nonconference schedule we play ... we're used to playing people as good as us and I think tonight Pea Ridge was as good as us. We found just little ways. We served more aggressively. We played better defense and we got better touches the last three sets."

Pea Ridge, which will be the No. 3 seed in next week's 4A-Northwest Conference tournament, jumped out to claim the first two sets. The Lady Blackhawks trailed 23-22 in the second set, but scored the final three points to go up 2-0. But Shiloh Christian steadied out in serve receive and served more aggressively in the final three sets to take control.

The Lady Saints will obviously be the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament and will serve as the host. Shiloh Christian will also host the Class 4A state tournament beginning Oct. 26.

Bentonville High 3, Springdale High 0

Maddie Lee hammered 13 kills and Trinity Hamilton added 12 to help the Lady Tigers to a 25-16, 25-18, 25-18 win.

Hamilton registered a double-double with 12 digs, while Lilly Thompson finished with a match-high 23 digs.

Springdale Har-Ber 3, Rogers 0

Jordan Benford put down a match-high 11 kills and Kat Cooper added nine in the Lady Wildcats' 25-10, 25-16, 25-20 win.

Caylan Koons dished out 33 assists and added 10 digs for a double-double, while Josie McCroskey led the defense with 11 digs for Har-Ber (26-0, 13-0).

Abby Harris led Rogers with eight kills, six digs, two blocks and two aces. Madison Rhea anchored the defense with 13 digs.

Fayetteville 3, Rogers Heritage 0

Maddie LaFata and Brooke Rockwell were a nice 1-2 punch offensively as the Lady Bulldogs swept the Lady War Eagles 25-14, 25-17, 25-12.

Rockwell led the way with 13 kills, while LaFata added 12. Ashley Ruff led the defense with 11 digs for Fayetteville.

Bentonville West 3, Fort Smith Southside 1

The Lady Wolverines had three players in double figures in kills to key a hard-fought 25-23, 25-19, 24-26, 25-16 win.

Reagan Ptacek came up with a big night with 12 aces and 12 kills, while Trinity Luckett added a team-high 17 kills and seven blocks, while Riley Richardson also had 14 kills for West. Nicole Zimmerman had a team-high 12 digs and Ally McCasland dished out 20 assists.

Toree Tiffee led Southside with 11 kills and 13 digs, while setter Kennedy Meadors also had a double-double with 33 assists and a team-high 15 digs. Gabriela Dupree added 10 kills and Tinsley Freeman 14 digs.

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