Sheridan kills playoff hopes for Hot Springs
Two weeks before the start of the Class 5A state volleyball tournament, Hot Springs hosted Sheridan in a battle that would determine the fate of the Lady Trojans’ postseason.
Needing a win over the Lady Yellowjackets in three sets or by a total of 18 points in four, the Lady Trojans (11-9, 6-7 5A South) laid it all on the line against a Sheridan team (11-8, 7-6) that was as hungry for a win as they were. The evenly-matched teams battled it out in a full five sets that saw the Lady Yellowjackets take a 3-2 win.
“That was the difference in us going to the state tournament or not,” Hot Springs head coach Deana Franklin said. “We had to beat them in three or in four by plus 18 points, so you know, from this point forward it’s about heart and everything we’ve worked for all year long and hoping we can finish strong. We’ve got Lakeside on Thursday and White Hall Tuesday, and that will finish it up.”
Hot Springs has not reached the Class 5A state tournament since 2017, and it lost its last two appearances in straight sets to Harrison in 2017 and Paragould in 2015.
The Lady Trojans took an early 3-0 lead over Sheridan that they never relinquished in the opening set thanks in part to junior Katyra Johnson’s service. The Lady Yellowjackets pulled within 10-8 before the teams traded service until Johnson again served up three straight points to take a 15-11 lead.
For the rest of the set, the Lady Trojans did not let their opponent come within two points as senior Iona Island, junior Jurnee Hicks and junior Emma Campas secured the net as Hot Springs coasted to a 25-20 win.
“We came out slow, I think, because we were playing back on our heels and scared of what we could lose,” Sheridan head coach Emily Grimmett said. “And then once we got in the groove of it, we settled down, and we were fine.”
Despite another strong opening by Johnson in the second set, the teams traded service multiple times with Sheridan drawing the score at 10-10 under the service of Sheridan junior Lauren Stevens. Junior Emma Patrick pushed the Lady Yellowjackets out to a 15-12 lead before junior Mallory Palmer stretched the lead out to 19-14.
Sophomore Marlissa Archie helped to lead the Lady Trojans back to a 23-23 draw before Campas served up the winning points for a two-set lead, 26-24.
“If you didn’t care who won, I’m sure it was fun to watch,” Franklin laughed. “But I didn’t like it very much.”
Johnson and Campas propelled the Lady Trojans out to a 6-1 lead in the third set, but Sheridan knotted the score at 12-12 before senior Lauren McGinley and junior Madison Taylor led the team to an 18-14 lead that the team did not lose en route to a 25-19 win to force a fourth set.
“I think they did their best getting over their obstacle of coming out slow,” Grimmett said. “They played real timid — you know, we were down two sets to nothing, and they did a great job of being mentally strong and coming back fighting.”
Sheridan jumped ahead in the fourth set as Palmer and McGinley combined for six service points to guide them to an 8-1 lead. Junior Alexia Faulkner pulled the Lady Trojans within two points, 9-7.
Patrick took over service for Sheridan to pull out to a 14-9 lead before the teams traded service until Taylor served up seven straight for a 24-12 lead before the Lady Trojans broke service. Hot Springs could not overcome multiple missteps as Sheridan held on for the 25-13 win.
The Lady Trojans steered the set their way to begin the final set, but the Lady Yellowjack
ets quickly responded, rallying behind Palmer for a 5-2 advantage. Hot Springs struggled to overcome Sheridan, but the Lady Yellowjackets proved too much as they took the 15-10 win.
“We knew going in that if it went four, we had to come up with a plus 18 points for the tournament, so that was keeping them at a pretty low score,” Franklin mentioned. “When they [Sheridan] got up on us right off the bat, they kind of tucked their heads a little bit and finally came around — started to get that fire back in their eyes and after that, it’s about playing for pride and I was proud of the way they finished.”
Hicks and Island had 20 assists each — Island tallied eight kills, two digs, and a block while Hicks had three digs and three blocks. Campas had nine assists, six kills, two digs and block, Archie had seven blocks and five kills, sophomore Anecia Owens had three assists and a kill, Johnson logged nine digs, and senior Annemarie Vanoversteeg had one block.