Fayetteville adds to its trophy case
“I can’t imagine their season ending any other way. Honestly, I think for them, this was the end goal and they played a lot of volleyball together over the years. Their relationships extend beyond volleyball.” Coach Jessica Phelan after Fayetteville’s victory Saturday in the Class 6A state volleyball championship match
HOT SPRINGS — Fayetteville trailed only briefly and cruised to its third straight Class 6A state volleyball title with a 3-0 (25-19, 25-1, 25-18) win over Fort Smith Southside on Saturday evening in Bank OZK Arena.
The Lady Bulldogs (37-2) didn’t drop a set to in-state competition this season as the group that includes 14 seniors was dominant all season.
Southside (30-8-1) pushed Fayetteville a bit on Saturday, but the Lady Mavericks ultimately had no answer.
Brooke Rockwell led the Lady Bulldogs’ attack with a match-high 17 kills, but she had help. Maddie LaFata added 13 kills and junior Reagan Harp chipped in 10 with just one error and hit a sizzling .474.
Setter Kennedy Phelan, who earned tournament MVP honors for the second consecutive year, dished out a match-high 37 assists and registered a double-double with 18 digs. She also added seven kills.
Ashley Ruff also anchored the defense with a matchhigh 22 digs.
Fayetteville Coach Jessica Phelan said this has been a special group.
“These kids, I can’t imagine their season ending any other way,” Phelan said. “Honestly, I think for them, this was the end goal and they played a lot of volleyball together over the years. Their relationships extend beyond volleyball, but it’s different.
“You’re seniors. You’re playing your last volleyball game together, and you’re putting that Fayetteville jersey on for the last time, so it’s sweet and it’s bittersweet and it’s special. It’s really just been a magical ride.”
The Lady Bulldogs have five players committed to play Division I college volleyball with Kennedy Phelan committed to play at Florida State for former Arkansas coach Chris Poole, who also coached her mother at the University of Arkansas.
Fayetteville won its seventh title overall and made it three in a row for the second time in school history.
Kennedy Phelan said finishing with a third straight state title is special.
“Those are my best friends out there, my mom,” she said. “It’s just everything I could have hoped for. It’s been incredible just growing up with these people and seeing how we continue to push each other each year and develop.
“Southside’s an incredibly scrappy team. They don’t give you anything. They make you earn it on every point and props to them for playing hard all the way through. I just thought we had a little bit more offense. We have a lot of very talented hitters that makes my job super-easy and great defenders in the backcourt. It just went our way and I’m thankful.”
Lydia Pitts led the Southside attack with 11 kills and four blocks. Tinsley Freeman and Gabriella DuPree added 13 digs each.
The Lady Mavericks made their fourth finals appearance in the past five years but again came up short of a title. Southside has won eight titles but none since 2013.
Southside Coach Natalie Throneberry wasn’t unhappy with the way the Lady Mavericks performed against a talented Fayetteville team.
“You tell them you gave a college team all you got,” Throneberry said. “And you still made sure to grow 2% in that game. You held your head high. You worked on the things you needed to work on to be a better player. To me that’s a win. We didn’t come up with a championship, but boy we moved mountains this year. I don’t think a lot of people even expected us to be in this game. And that’s a testament to their hard work.”