HOT SPRINGS -- Jonesboro's hitting and blocking proved to be too much for Greenwood on Saturday night.
Tournament MVP Clara Parker made nine of her match-high 15 kills in the first game, and the Lady Hurricane cruised in the final two sets on their way to a 3-0 sweep of the Lady Bulldogs in the Class 5A state championship match at Bank OZK Arena.
In winning the program's 13th state championship, Jonesboro (32-3) closed the season with a 26-24, 25-12, 25-16 victory.
In a rematch of last year's 6A state title game, Jonesboro got a measure of revenge.
"We waited not 365 days but close to that. We've been on a mission, and we got it done," Jonesboro Coach Craig Cummings said. "We had to against a great Greenwood team."
After surviving a set point in the first game, Jonesboro got rolling behind the play of senior outside hitter Gabby Thrower and junior middle blocker Mikayla Johnson.
Thrower came up with five of her seven kills in the second game. Johnson scored four kills and served up an ace in Jonesboro's final 15 points.
"Gabby was good today," Cummings said. "And that was critical because there were quite a few big points that got us off the hook. Every kill she had today was huge to go along with her assists and blocks."
Jonesboro completed the contest with 11 blocked points.
"We had to do that against Greenwood's attackers because they are that good," Cummings said. "That takes some pressure off the defense block as well. So our girls did a good job. We didn't seal the block as well in the first game, and that's why it was a little bit close. They were finding seams in between, but we kept working on pressing and sealing that, and we got some points out of it. That was awesome."
Jonesboro led 23-19 in the first game, but Greenwood rallied for the next five points. Jonesboro scored the final three points. There were nine ties and five lead changes in the first set.
"We had that one opportunity, and we hit that set point right into their block and that changed the momentum of the game," Greenwood Coach Jennifer Golden said. "We just didn't execute."
Johnson finished with nine kills while making a match-high seven blocks. Senior setter Bailey Tagupa led the Lady Hurricane with 39 assists, and junior Kate Gschwend was good for 16 digs.
Junior Brooke Jones, senior Abby Cagle and junior Camyrn Presley all had seven kills to lead Greenwood. Sophomore setter Anna Johnson made 12 assists and 12 digs. Presley also had 12 digs, and junior Izzy Davis added 11 digs.
Jonesboro finished the season on a seven-match winning streak. Greenwood (30-6-1) had a six-match winning streak snapped.
Sports on 10/28/2018