Mansfield secures third straight title

HOT SPRINGS — Mansfield got off to a slower start in two of the three sets in the Class 2A state volleyball final, but the Lady Tigers finished with a flourish.

Junior Alyson Edwards, who was named the tournament MVP, hammered 17 kills to lead three Lady Tigers in double figures as Mansfield claimed its third straight state title with a 25-16, 25-15, 25-16 win over Lavaca.

Mansfield Coach Kaylie Pyles, who has now won three consecutive state titles in her five seasons guiding the Lady Tigers, struggled for words to explain her feelings following the victory.

“I don’t even know how to explain how I feel,” said Pyles said. “As a coach it’s something we expect to happen every single year, but at the end of the day you’ve got to go out and show it. You’ve got to prove it. It’s an incredible feeling right now.”

The Lady Tigers ( 27- 3) were responsible for four of the Lady Golden Arrows’ losses this season, but Pyles said the fact her team had beaten them three times coming into Saturday’s final didn’t make a difference.

“I told the girls today, ‘You haven’t won anything,’” Pyles said. “Yes we’ve beat them previously but I said they’re gonna come out ready to play and y’all have to match that energy and be even higher.”

Pyles was on target as Lavaca (24-6) grabbed a 7-4 lead in the opening set, but Mansfield responded with a 6-0 spurt. Edwards had two aces and a dump for a kill during that run. A tip by Kaylee Ward gave the Lady Tigers a 10-7 advantage.

Lavaca surged back to tie the set 11-11 thanks to a pair of kills by Emerson Schaefer. Again Mansfield responded with an 8-1 run to take control 19-11. Mansfield trailed only briefly early in the second set, but was down 7-4 in the third.

The Lady Tigers bounced back to tie the set at 12-12 but finished it with an 11-1 run to pull away and close out the match.

Senior Natalie Allison, a 6-0 setter/ hitter, who was tournament MVP a year ago, registered a triple-double for Mansfield with 12 kills, 15 digs and a match-high 24 assists. Kaylee Ward, a 6-4 freshman, added 10 kills and two blocks and hit a sizzling .381.

The Lady Tigers hit .305 as a team.

Brooklyn Adams registered a match-high 18 digs for the Lady Tigers, while teammate Kynslee Ward added 14.

Lavaca Coach Shannon Todaro said her team struggled to pass the ball and therefore wasn’t in system offensively much in Saturday’s final and that was the difference.

“Today it was our serve receive,” Todaro said. “We couldn’t pass the ball. We couldn’t get a pass to run our offense. When we did we got a kill.”

Lavaca had 13 kills and 12 errors through the first two sets and finished hitting .083 with 23 kills and 14 errors for the match.

Emerson Schaefer led the Lady Arrows with eight kills, while Mayli Stockton contributed 15 digs.