Bentonville beats 7A rival in five sets

Bentonville shrugged off a touch of controversy before holding off Fayetteville, 3-2, in Saturday’s Class 7A championship volleyball match at Bank of the Ozarks Arena.

Senior outside hitter Anna LeDuc made 21 kills, including five in the deciding fifth set, as the Lady Tigers earned their fifth state title with a 25-16, 2519, 12-25, 23-25, 15-12 over the Lady Bulldogs.

“We went into that fifth game and the girls showed a lot of character and a lot of grit,” Bentonville coach Michelle Smith said. “They finished strong.”

Bentonville ( 32- 4- 2) seemed poised to finish the match in four sets, grabbing a 22-17 lead. But Fayetteville scored the next three points. Bentonville junior Sadie Pate hit the back line to stop the Fayetteville rally. The Lady Bulldogs, however, were awarded the point despite Bentonville being allowed to serve.

After a kill by Fayetteville freshman Ella Powell, which should have cut Bentonville’s lead to 23-21, game officials allowed the score to remain tied at 22. Fayetteville scored three of the set’s final four points to force a fifth set.

“We put it out of our minds and were fired up to go after it in that fifth set,” said LeDuc, named the tournament’s MVP. “We couldn’t look back on what had just happened. We went forward.”

“We knew in a state-championship game that anything could happen at any time. And it sure did.” Smith said. “We got a run for our money today. It got us a little bit frazzled. What happened at the end of the fourth game is unfor- tunate. But that’s life and we move on.”

Fayetteville ( 23- 12- 2) scored the first two points of the fifth game and the two teams were tied as late as 9-9. Back- to- back long hits gave Bentonville an 11-9 lead and Fayetteville never got even again.

Consecutive kills by LeDuc gave Bentonville points 13 and 14. Seniors Lauren Bareis and Haley Seyfarth combined to make the match-ending block.

Bentonville won the first two sets in quick order, but that was before Fayetteville 6-2 freshman Haley Warner began to find some openings in the Bentonville defense. Warner finished with 21 kills, 17 in the final three sets.

“As the matched progressed, I thought we did a better job of getting the ball to our hitters,” Fayetteville coach Jessica Phelan said. “I’m really proud of my girls for fighting back after that second game. I thought they really put up a gutsy performance today.”

Fayetteville scored the first eight points of the third set and they also led 7-4 in the fourth set before allowing Bentonville to take its fivepoint lead later in the set.

“We were all mad that we let (Fayetteville come back),” LeDuc said. “Fayetteville gave us a great game, but we knew that would happen.”

Pate finished with 12 kills and led the Lady Tigers in aces with four. Freshman Emma Palasak made six kills for Bentonville.

Sophomore Abbie Kathol added 11 kills for Fayetteville while Lady Bulldog freshman Ella Powell had 10 kills and 31 assists.