Four earn berths in Class 4A tournament

LINCOLN — Nine teams from the 4A-1 Conference competed in the district volleyball tournament hosted by Lincoln this week seeking to qualify for state competition.

Three of the league’s four spots in the Class 4A state volleyball tournament were decided Monday. Pea Ridge became the last 4A-1 team to clinch after a 25-16, 25-13, 25-9 sweep of Gravette on Tuesday.

In Monday’s opening match No. 8 West Fork needed five sets to defeat No. 9 Gentry (25-20, 25-22, 20-25, 1926, 17-15). Gentry led 7-3 early in the first set before West Fork went on a 9-4 run to take the lead. There were five ties after that before West Fork took a 22-21 lead on Sara Blackard’s kill. Amy Greenlee served an ace and the Lady Tigers won 25-20.

Immediately following its win over the Lady Pioneers, West Fork faced No. 1 Shiloh Christian with the Lady Saints winning handily 25-11, 25-7, 25-9. Shiloh Christian’s Lexi Richards pounded four kills and added a block to pace Shiloh in a 25-7 second-set blow-out. The third set was not close after Alex Bottorff’s ace gave Shiloh an early 6-4 lead. Kate Turpin served six consecutive aces to bring the Lady Saints to gamepoint at 24-9.

No. 2 Berryville swept Prairie Grove (25-22, 25-22, 25-13) and No. 3 Huntsville eliminated tournament host, No. 6 Lincoln (25-15, 25-15, 25-18).

After it’s state clinching win, Pea Ridge did was no 4A team has been able to do this season — take a set from Shiloh Christian. The Lady Blackhawks claimed a 25-22 win in game one of the first semifinal. The Lady Saints took care of business in the next three sets, 25-14, 25-8 and 25-17, to claim the match and a berth in Thursday’s championship match.

“Our girls played really well, they came out focused,” said Pea Ridge coach Jessica Woods. “They’ve never got to go to state, so they were really determined to win. Ours is a team of underclassmen. We don’t have any seniors.”

The first set was all Pea Ridge early. Junior Madison Mcguire had two aces and classmate Cassy Porter and sophomore Kynley Burton added kills as the Lady Blackhawks jumped out to a 7-3 lead.

Shiloh Christian coach Nathan Bodenstein called a timeout with his squad trailing, 14-11, after another Burton kill.

“Where’s your energy? Where’s your energy?” Bodenstein asked in the huddle.

The Lady Saints couldn’t get in rhythm. Each time they closed to within a point, they’d give a point back with a service error. Freshmen Josey Goldberg’s kill from the back row brought Pea Ridge to game-point at 24-22, and Shiloh couldn’t handle a strong hit by Pea Ridge junior Gabby Adams. The Lady Saints had four hits and lost the first set, 25-22.

They trailed early in the second set, 4-1, before using a 9-0 run to grab the lead. Shiloh Christian’s Richards, who recorded 21 kills and 16 digs gave Pea Ridge trouble at the net with blocks and her teammates, who didn’t produce much of an attack in the first set, got going.

“Jessica Woods is a great coach. She always has a well-prepared team,” Bodenstein said. “They are pretty young and they came out with a lot of energy. I’m happy with how we handled it after that first set.”

The tournament wraps up Thursday with the consolation match scheduled for 5:30 p.m., followed by the championship at 6:30 p.m.