Benton downs Mountain Home, earns berth in semi-final round

Mountain Home fired on all cylinders when faced with Benton in the Class 5A state volleyball quarterfinals Wednesday night, but the Lady Panthers held on for four sets en route to a 3-1 win over the Lady Bombers.

Trailing Benton 7-5 early in the first set, Mountain Home senior setter Leah Jackson skillfully set up junior Reanna Dodge to bring down the house on a power play to go up 7-6. The Lady Panthers held on to a four-point lead until senior Charlie Pierce served up an ace to cut Mountain Home’s deficit down to 17-14.

Senior Elaine Blackmon added two more service points to pull the Lady Bombers within 20-18, but after a block that went out of bounds on Benton’s side of the net, Mountain Home fell to Benton, 25-21.

Despite the initial loss, the Lady Bombers rallied and came back swinging, jumping out to an early 6-4 edge. Mountain Home never relinquished its lead after senior Grace Beckham served up two to mark the score, 15-12.

Beckham and Pierce added two straight service points a piece for a 24-18 buffer in Mountain Home’s favor before the eventual 25-19 win over the Lady Panthers to end the second set.

The third round saw five lead changes throughout the course of the set with service bouncing back and forth as quickly as the ball crossed the net.

Mountain Home held on to a 7-6 lead before Benton managed to draw a tie at 7-7 , and the Lady Panthers stole the lead by one point before the Lady Bombers bought back in with a big block by Dodge to knot the score at 13-all.

Benton’s front line featured a dynamic slew of defenders quick on offense and ready to attack. Junior Hannah Brewer accounted for 19 kills on the night with seven in the third set alone.

After drawing the score twice more, senior Claudia Carter slammed the ball down Benton’s middle gap, earning a 20-18 edge for Mountain Home, but the set came down to a point-by-point battle as the Lady Panthers held on to take up a 23-22 advantage. The Lady

Bombers put up just one more point before Benton stopped them in their tracks to set the 2523 final going into the fourth set. Behind the service of sophomore Bissette Childress, the Lady Panthers jumped out to an early

12-4 lead. Mountain Home rallied for two to mark the score 12-6 before sophomore Abby Hardister stepped to the backline for three straight service points stretching Benton’s edge out to 15-6.

Claudia Carter refused to back down as the senior changed the pace of the set after serving up eight straight, including an ace to award Mountain Home its first lead in the fourth, 18-16. Both teams traded service before Jackson added two more keeping the Lady Bombers ahead by four,

21-17.

Benton’s defense came back to life as the Lady Panthers took a 24-24 tie before taking the set,

27-25.