STATE HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENTS: CLASS 6A

Southside rally tames Har-Ber

Fort Smith Southside’s Hannah Hogue (above) sets the ball Thursday during the Mavericks’ 3-1 victory over Springdale Har-Ber in the semifinals of the Class 6A state volleyball tournament in Cabot. For more photos, see arkansasonline.com/111volleyball/.
Fort Smith Southside’s Hannah Hogue (above) sets the ball Thursday during the Mavericks’ 3-1 victory over Springdale Har-Ber in the semifinals of the Class 6A state volleyball tournament in Cabot. For more photos, see arkansasonline.com/111volleyball/.

CABOT -- Fort Smith Southside saw a late lead slip away in the opening set, but turned the tables on Springdale Har-Ber later in the match to advance to Saturday's Class 6A state volleyball finals.

The Mavericks scored the final seven points of the third set with junior Avery Fitzgerald delivering back-to-back kills to finish off the 26-24 victory in the third set, then carried that momentum to the 23-25, 25-21, 26-24, 25-19 state semifinal win on Thursday afternoon at Panther Arena.

Southside (31-5) will take an 18-match winning streak into Saturday's championship match against Bentonville (25-9). First serve is slated for 1 p.m. at Bank OZK Arena in Hot Springs.

Southside Coach Natalie Throneberry couldn't even explain how her Mavericks gutted out the key third-set victory after Har-Ber had put together an 11-2 run to take a 24-19 lead and was on the verge of a 2-1 lead in the match.

That also came after the Lady Wildcats (26-8) trailed 22-18 in the opening set but finished on a 7-1 run to earn the 25-23 win.

"I'm still trying to figure it out," said Throneberry, who was the Mavericks assistant coach a year ago. "And we had our middle hitter serving and playing middle-back defense. We've done a lot of stuff differently trying to work on mindset after last year. The last thing we talked about Tuesday was predator vs. prey.

"That first set we played like we were prey. We played like we were on our heels. Second set, third set especially we played like 'Let's go hunt, let's go do some work.' These girls are gritty. They are competitive. By gosh, they figured it out today."

The Mavericks, who lost in the finals a year ago, pushed ahead midway through the fourth set buoyed by the late comeback in set three and finished off the win to get another chance at a championship.

Juniors Avery Fitzgerald and Hannah Hogue, both Division I commits, led the way for the 6A-Central Conference champions. Fitzgerald, a 6-0 outside hitter committed to Mississippi State, finished with a match-high 21 kills to go with 16 digs. Hogue, a 5-8 setter committed to the University of Arkansas, dished out 40 assists to go with 17 digs.

Aleigha Johnson, a 6-0 junior, also helped control the net with nine kills and a match-high nine blocks while Kelsey Hamilton contributed 20 digs.

Kat Cooper, a 6-1 sophomore led Har-Ber with 13 kills and four blocks, while Kyler Greenlee and Natalie Williams chipped in with 11 kills each. Sophomore Caylan Koons dished out 27 assists and Liz Puente anchored the defense with 21 digs.

BENTONVILLE 3,

FAYETTEVILLE 1

The Lady Tigers also shook off an opening-set loss to defeat the Lady Purple Bulldogs for the third time this season.

Bentonville claimed a 24-26, 25-22, 25-18, 25-18 victory behind 20 kills and 14 digs from 5-9 senior Savanna Riney and 13 kills and 23 digs from Trinity Hamilton.

Senior libero Kloey Eakin said the Lady Tigers were a little too keyed up to start the match. But they came together and focused well after the first set, Eakin said.

"We just need to in our hearts, just play and connect with each other," said Eakin, who helped anchor the defense with 18 digs. "We just needed to take it slow and have energy but not too much. I feel like we were so excited that we didn't take a breath. The other set we had our minds on putting the ball down and winning that set."

Bentonville used a 10-0 run midway through the second set, then held off a late Fayetteville challenge to take that set. The Lady Tigers then broke away midway through each of the final two sets to finish off the victory.

Bentonville Coach Michelle Smith said her team settled down after seeing a 23-21 lead turn into a two-point loss to start the match.

"Defense can win championships and our girls pulled through today," Smith said. "I thought our serving game was on and that our front row took care of business. But our defense took care of business. They had each other's back."

Maddie Breed chipped in five blocks for Bentonville.

Rosana Hicks led the way for Fayetteville (28-7) with a match-high 22 kills. Gracyn Spresser finished with 17 digs and freshman setter Kennedy Phelan dished out 44 assists. Perry Flannigan also chipped in 13 kills.

photo

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Fort Smith Southside’s Toree Tiffee (top) delivers a spike during the Mavericks’ 23-25, 25-21, 26- 24, 25-19 semifinal victory over Springdale Har-Ber at the Class 6A state volleyball tournament Thursday at Cabot.

Sports on 11/01/2019

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