Marion finishes title run
CLASS 6A
MARION 3, GREENWOOD 0
HOT SPRINGS — Marion turned in a nearly flawless performance Saturday afternoon as it swept Greenwood 3-0 (25-12, 25-16, 25-15) to win the Class 6A volleyball state championship at Bank of the Ozarks Arena.
“They just came ready to play today, and I just had to make sure I didn’t screw up,” Marion Coach Lisa Beasley said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better performance from any of them. They played defense. They stepped up and kept the blocking errors down.
“They played the complete game, and I’m so proud of them.”
Marion (32-4-1) claimed its third state title, ending a threeyear drought after winning back-to-back titles in 2010 and 2011.
“There are no words to describe it,” Beasley said.
The Lady Patriots set the tone in the first set, recording 13 kills and only three errors. Marion fell behind 4-1, but Sarah Betts served six consecutive points to give the Lady Patriots an 8-4 lead and Marion never looked back, pressuring Greenwood (24-8-3) into two consecutive errors to end the game.
“You have to give all the credit to Marion. They played outstanding,” Greenwood Coach Jennifer Golden said. “Pressure was what they put on us every point of every set. We put our best effort today, but it just didn’t fall our way.”
Marion’s Diane Phillips, a 5-6 senior, established herself in the second set with 5 kills and 1 block and finished with 11 kills and 2 blocks.
“She’s just, to me, one of the best players to ever play volleyball at Marion,” Beasley said of the tournament MVP. “I think she’s one of the best players in the state of Arkansas. She showed it today, and she showed it this whole tournament.”
The Lady Patriots never trailed in the second set, thanks to three different service runs of at least three points. Annalee Parker had a run of five points to open a 1912 advantage.
Greenwood led 6-3 before Marion answered behind Parker, who had nine kills in the set. Parker led the Lady Patriots with 13 kills.
Phillips had seven points in the third, opening a 15-8 advantage. Betts also served four consecutive aces for a 21-11 lead. She finished with a match-high 13 points on serve to go along with nine kills.
Senior Erin Black paced Greenwood with 13 kills but received little support.
“Erin, we’re going to miss her next year,” Golden said. “She’s a leader on the court. She’s our go-to person as far as when the match is on the line. We call on her. It’s going to be tough to lose her.”
CLASS 3A
Paris sweeps Atkins
HOT SPRINGS — Paris worked through a hard-fought first set, dominated the second and regrouped for a strong finish in the third as the Lady Eagles defeated Atkins 3-0 (25-20, 25-9, 25-17) for their first state championship at Bank of the Ozarks Arena.
“Finally is the word,” Paris Coach Wes Davis said. “It feels really great.”
Atkins (19-9-1), which advanced past the first round of the state tournament for the first time, gave the Lady Eagles all they could handle in the opening set. The lead was never more than three points for either side until Paris reeled off the final three points.
Paris continued to roll in the second set, scoring 20 of the set’s first 24 points and committed only three errors.
“I think throughout the state tournament, we were the ones coming out on top in situations like that [first set],” Atkins Coach Tracy Brown said. “When we weren’t the ones coming out on top, it took the wind of our sails.”
Paris’ offense, led by senior setter Makenna Hudson, had a lot to do with that. Hudson served the set’s first four points and — with Sarah Sparks serving six consecutive points — assisted on seven consecutive kills for a 15-3 lead.
Hudson set up 14 kills in the second set while keeping the defense honest and killed off set point.
Hudson finished with 38 assists and was named the most valuable player.
Atkins opened a 9-4 lead in the third set, aided by seven errors by the Lady Eagles. The set turned when Atkins committed a rotation violation, changing what would have been an 11-5 lead into 10-6.
Atkins led 12-10 before Paris reeled off seven consecutive points to take control. Lycia Peevy knocked down seven kills and finished with nine, and Hudson killed off match point.