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Saturday, December 1, 2007
Volleyball Teams Net Titles
Western Arkansas, AR
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By: Staff Reports
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Photo(s) By: Tom Ewart
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Bentonville, Siloam Springs Claim State Championships
First-year Bentonville Lady Tigers volleyball head coach Michelle Coens couldn't have asked for a better debut.
Coens' Lady Tigers (28-8-1) roared to their first-ever volleyball state championship with a hard-fought 25-14, 27-25, 22-25, 19-25, 15-12 title-match conquest over the Fayetteville Lady Bulldogs (20-14-5) in an all 7A West finals at Greenwood's H.B. Stewart Arena on Nov. 3.
After splitting their two regular-season meetings, Bentonville won the rubber match between these two familiar league adversaries to claim its crowning glory.
Despite a fast start, it turned out to be anything but easy for the Lady Tigers.
Instead, after losing the first pair of games and facing certain defeat, head coach Jessica Phelan's Lady Bulldogs proved mighty resilient while rallying in impressive fashion to make this one a memorable finale.
Fayetteville won games three and four to tie it all up. Then, Bentonville was on the ropes in game five, trailing 9-7.
Fittingly, though, Lady Tigers senior Jordan Waggener, who was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player, smacked an ace to help spark a decisive 6-0 run. A short while later, Coens and company celebrated their championship.
Bentonville's Tatum Fredeen, who was named to the all-tournament team, helped fuel the victory with 12 kills, while Katelyn McCarthy (11 kills) and Tara Fredeen (10 kills) played integral roles as well. Likewise, Kailey Kelly and Kassie Rounsaville (eight kills apiece), and Jamie Haworth (five kills) provided key contributions.
Fayetteville's Chantlee Nash and Yazmin Hernandez (15 kills each) received all-tournament recognition for their strong play.
The Lady Tigers made their way to the championship by disposing of Little Rock Central and North Little Rock, before ousting perennial volleyball powerhouse Fort Smith Southside in semifinal-round play.
Phelan's Lady Bulldogs, meanwhile, knocked off Mount St. Mary's and outlasted the conference rival Rogers Lady Mountaineers in a rugged five-game semifinal.
In Class 5A, it was Rose Cheek's Siloam Springs Lady Panthers (36-3) again, for the fourth straight time.
Siloam Springs, which now has five titles in a seven-year span, edged the Greenwood Lady Bulldogs 20-25, 25-15, 25-22, 25-27, 15-8 in an all 5A West finals.
Senior Jessie Wade, who was the tourney's Most Valuable Player, recorded a block on the point that sent the Lady Panthers into yet another championship celebration. Wade finished with 16 kills and six blocks to pace the victory. Freshman Lizzy Briones, an all-tournament team member, had 12 kills and eight blocks. Hannah Allison (nine kills and five blocks) and Staci Williamson (eight kills) also came up big.
Greenwood (23-6) was led by senior Chelsea Black (14 kills) and sophomore Jill Barnett (16 kills and six aces).
Although Siloam Springs pulled it out, the Lady Bulldogs made it interesting.
Greenwood overcame a 24-22 lead late in game four and then held an early lead in the fifth.
However, the Lady Panthers responded with a closing 9-2 flurry to finally seal it.
In Class 3A, the Lavaca Lady Golden Arrows (24-6) fell short in their quest for a state crown, falling to Brookland 17-25, 25-10, 17-25, 12-25.
A look at our Western Arkansas top volleyball stars
GIRLS
Name School
Jordan Waggener Bentonville
Tatum Fredeen Bentonville
Tara Fredeen Bentonville
Kailey Kelly Bentonville
Kassie Rounsaville Bentonville
Jamie Haworth Bentonville
Katelyn McCarthy Bentonville
Chantlee Nash Fayetteville
Haley Martin Fayetteville
Yazmin Hernandez Fayetteville
Chelsea Anderson Rogers
Brittany Owen Rogers
Madi Serratt Fort Smith Southside
Jettie Stec Fort Smith Southside
Alli Vest Fort Smith Southside
Jessie Wade Siloam Springs
Lizzy Briones Siloam Springs
Hannah Allison Siloam Springs
Staci Williamson Siloam Springs
Chelsea Black Greenwood
Jill Barnett Greenwood
Alex Fleener Shiloh Christian
Mandy Fleener Shiloh Christian
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