Southside Too Much For Har-Ber
CONFEDERETTES SEIZE CONTROL LATE IN TITLE GAME
Posted: November 1, 2009 at 2 a.m.
JONESBORO — Springdale Har-Ber appeared to be seizing the momentum in the Class 7A State Volleyball Finals on Saturday, but Fort Smith Southside reversed that momentum and rode it to the state championship.
Southside scored the fi nal fi ve points in the third game and used that momentum to go on to a 25-27, 25-18, 25-23, 25-21 win at the Arkansas State University Convocation Center.
Har-B er (31-8) controlled much of the third game and led 23-20. Southside then scored fi ve consecutive points, four coming on Har-Ber errors, to take the game. Har-Ber coach Sandy Jones said her team just made too many uncharacteristic errors.
“You look passing errors, hitting errors,” Jones said. “Katie Collins had 10 passing errors and she usually has about two in a match.
“It’s just frustrating. I thought we had it at one point there. But volleyball is a strange game andmomentum can change quickly. We missed 10 serves (Saturday) and serving is our strong point. I just think a lot of nerves hit us when we got out there.”
Southside used that momentum to take command and lead 9-2 in the fourth game and never really looked back. The Confederettes (34-6) closed the season on a 24-match winning streak.
Southside coach Steve Haaser said he needed to calm down his team early on, while Jones saidHar-Ber might have wanted the win too badly.
“Our kids play with so much enthusiasm,” Haaser said.
Haaser acknowledged his team probably shouldn’t have won the third game, but Har-Ber rolled back from a 21-12 deficit to win the opening set, too.
“They probably lament not getting that one,” Haaser said of the third game. “We probably had no business winning that one. I know that’s gonna haunt them. The third game is pivotal there at one game each.”
Alicia Swearingen led Harber with 15 kills, while Kirstie Hesseltine and Sydney Marsellis chipped in 13 kills each. Aubrey Marsellis added 11.
“It’s tough to get this far,” Jones said. “I want it so bad for these girls. We just didn’t have it (Saturday). Hopefully, it’s a foundation for the sophomores that are playing. Hopefully, it’ll be something good for us for the future.”
Har-Ber used a 10-1 run to turn a 21-12 deficit into a 22-22 deadlock in the opening game. Sydney Marsellis’ cross-court kill turned back one game point to tie it at 24and Swearingen hammered the ball down the line to turn away another and tie it again at 25.
A Southside error and an ace by Katie Collins gave Har-Ber the win.
The Confederettes never trailed in the second set, but Har-Ber appeared to have things going its way in the third set.
Southside avenged two regular-season losses to 7A-West Conference champion Har-Ber. The Lady Wildcats were responsible for the Confederettes’ last loss, coming in four games on Sept. 29.
Jones said nerves could have been a factor in the match.
“We were relaxed before the game,” she said. “Never been in this position, never knowing what to expect. We played strong at times, but we never could do enough to get them down. They’ve been here before.”
Sports, Pages 7 on 11/01/2009
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