Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Let It Go, Let It Go
COMMITMENT TO TEAM EMPOWERS GIRLS TO PLAY HURT
FARMINGTON —A Clarksville hit went awry and like a chorus of Disney princesses belting out Frozen’s motion picture theme, ‘Let it go, let it go,’ Farmington girls cried, “Out,” in unison.
They stepped back and watched as the volleyball fell harmlessly out of bounds bringing Farmington to a 23-21 advantage in a nip-andtuck battle against the visiting Panthers in game-two. A no-play on the ball was crucial in sustaining Farmington’s 7-2 run to close out the contest after trailing 19-18. Bethany Doty followed with an ace to bring the Lady Cardinals to game-point and Farmington claimed a 2-0 lead in the best of five Oct. 21 conference match with Doty (dig), Maria McPherson (set) and Sherra Irvin (kill) concluding the second set with Farmington winning, 25-21.
The Lady Cardinals were battling for their playoff lives needing a conference win to keep their hopes afloat in the 5A West, which does not hold a district tournament and the top four teams from the regular season advance to the state volleyball tournament. They did not want to surrender momentum after winning game-one, 25-13.
One week earlier, Farmington wasn’t sure Doty would be able to finish out the season after collapsing in pain due to pulled back muscles after a 3-1 loss to Morrilton. Yet, here she was diving face first onto the floor to make a saving dig leading to Irvin’s kill to begin game- three up, 1- 0. At another juncture in the match, she successfully dove for another saving dig, landing with her left shoulder square on the court, then gingerly rolled over and got back to her feet.
“Bethany Doty is exactly what you want as an athlete,” said third-year Farmington coach Marshall Ward. “She’s a coach’s dream. She does exactly what you want.”
With Farmington ahead, 15- 8, in game-three, Ward yelled, “Protect yourself,” but admitted after the match won in straight sets (25-13, 25-21, 25-15) those instructions may not have had any affect on Doty.
“It doesn’t do any good to tell her that cause she only has one speed,” Ward said. “It doesn’t matter how much you’re up or how much you’re down or how much pain she’s in, she only has one speed.”
McPherson has also been competing with a stress fracture which she anticipates will keep her from immediately transitioning into the upcoming basketball season and Trish O’Connell is a third Cardinal nurturing a wounded wing. Still, with the win Farmington had a chance going into Thursday’s final match of the 5A West regular season needing one more victory at Vilonia and a loss by conference rival Greenbrier in a league game elsewhere.
“We keep fighting to the end. Even though we’re hurting we tell each other, ‘One more point,’” McPherson said.
“I think it’s really my teammates who push me to get better. They push me to play through it [pain],” Doty said. “I’m playing for them cause they’re my sisters, we’re family.”
Ward thinks if Farmington was still competing among the 4A ranks, this year’s team would have done very well and become serious contend- ers at state.
“The move into 5A has been very tough and we’re still holding our own,” Ward said.
With the win over Clarksville on Oct. 21 Farmington improved to 11-8 overall and 6-7 in the 5A West.