PREP VOLLEYBALL: Springdale Har-Ber edges Fayetteville in five sets

FAYETTEVILLE -- Springdale Har-Ber took round one of this battle of two volleyball heavyweights, but not without a fight.

The Lady Wildcats out-slugged Fayetteville 3-2 (25-19, 11-25, 25-23, 15-25, 20-18) in a battle of arguably the two best teams in the state on Thursday evening in Bulldog Arena.

Har-Ber improved to 20-0 and 7-0 in the 6A-West, but had to withstand a monumental challenge in the fifth set. The Wildcats led 13-7 and 14-9, but Fayetteville wouldn't go quietly.

The Lady Purple Bulldogs (18-2, 6-1) fought back to tie the score at 14. They even had a couple of match points with leads of 17-16 and 18-17, but this time it was Har-Ber, which responded and eventually came away with the win.

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Har-Ber coach Cassie Loyd specifically talked about how her team found a way to gut out a five-set win. It was something the Lady Wildcats weren't able to do a year ago. Ironically, their season ended in the state semifinals in a marathon five-set loss to Fayetteville, which went on to win the state title.

"I'm just really proud of our group's consistency," Loyd said. "We talked a lot about consistency. Last season we got into five set matches a lot, but we never finished them. Every five-set match we were in last year, we lost. So this was a great test for us.

"In the fifth set, I looked at my team and said 'This is far from over.' I was proud of my girls' composure, the way they stayed focused, but most importantly how they stayed together. These two teams are very evenly matched. It just fell in our favor tonight."

Har-Ber had four players in double figures in kills led by outside hitter Kyla Clubb with 17, while Kinleigh Hall added 13, Jordan Benford chipped in 11 and Kat Cooper added 10. Hall added five blocks, including three solos. Setter Caylan Koons registered a double-double dishing out 46 assists to go with team-high 15 digs and three blocks.

Junior right-side hitter Maddie LaFata finished with a match-high 21 kills for Fayetteville, while Brooke Rockwell registered a double-double with 19 kills and a match-high 16 digs. Regan Harp also added 14 kills and setter Kennedy Phelan dished out a match-high 59 assists.

The final set was back and forth just like the rest of the match. Fayetteville used an 11-0 run in the fourth set to take control and force a fifth. The final set was almost all Har-Ber as the Lady Purple'Dogs never led until 17-16.

Fayetteville coach Jessica Phelan echoed Clark's sentiments about both teams being remarkably evenly matched, but she was also proud of her team.

"I am proud of my kids not giving up there in set five because we didn't have a lot go our way early," Phelan said. "That's all you can do and all you can control is the next point. Certainly we would have liked to be on the other end of that game, but losses in September are only bad if you don't learn from them.

"We take a look at what we can do better and keep grinding."

Har-Ber travels to Bentonville on Tuesday to open the second round of league play, while Fayetteville hosts Bentonville West. The rematch at Wildcat Arena looms in four weeks on Oct. 19 to wrap up conference play.

Rogers High 3, Rogers Heritage 0

Ryley Martin ripped 13 kills and added 10 digs to lead the Lady Mounties to a 25-21, 25-18, 25-12 win over the Lady War Eagles.

Martin also added two aces for Rogers. Ella McCleod chipped in nine kills and three aces, while Lakyn Hawthorne added eight kills and four blocks. Kaitlyn Brady also contributed 32 assists, seven digs and two aces for the Lady Mounties.

Bentonville 3, Bentonville West 0

Trinity Hamilton registered a double-double to lead the Lady Tigers to a 25-17, 25-20, 25-21 win over the Lady Wolverines.

Hamilton led the way with 14 kills and 10 digs, while Maddie Lee added 12 kills. Gloria Cranney dished out 33 assists, while Lilly Thompson had a team-high 16 digs.

Fort Smith Southside 3, Springdale High 0

Toree Tiffee hammered 12 kills and Olivia Melton added 12 digs to help the Mavericks to a 25-7, 25-17, 25-13 win.

Tiffee added three blocks, while Kennedy Meadors dished out 22 assists for Southside.

Shiloh Christian 3, Harrison 0

Madelyn Sestak and Ryan Russell hammered 13 kills each to lead the Lady Saints to a 25-17, 25-16, 25-21 win over Harrison.

Caroline Ramsey and Abby James also combined for 16 kills for Shiloh Christian (15-2-1, 10-0 4A-Northwest). Lela Creighton dished out 40 assists while Bella Bonanno anchored the defense with 19 digs.