Siloam Springs Wins Sixth Straight Title
Posted: November 2, 2009 at 5:36 a.m.
JONESBORO — Siloam Springs coach Rose Cheek acknowledged her team, particularly the seniors, were carrying a bit of a burden trying to win its sixth consecutive volleyball state championship this season.
But the close-knit group shook o◊an early defi cit in the second set to grab that sixth straight title with a 25-22, 27-25, 25-20 win over 5A-West Conference rival Greenwood on Saturday night in the Arkansas State University Convocation Center.
Cheek said she and assistant coach Joellen Wright felt the emotions and excitement all season.
“I know Coach Wright and I were just overwhelmed,” Cheek said. “They’ve been carrying a lot of pressure. It’s tough to keep their composure and fight like they did. I think it says a lot about them and a lot about the character and grit they have.”
The Lady Panthers (36-3) showed that grit in the second set when they trailed 9-2.
Senior setter/hitter Hannah Allison, who was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, said the players’ adrenaline was at a low ebb early in that second set.
“It was really high at the end of the first game,” Allison said. “And it kinda just dropped. We had to refocus and just get back on the right track and get our rhythm back because we were starting to play their type of ball instead of ours. Once we got back in that rhythm, we had confidence we could come back.”
And come back they did, but it took a while.
Greenwood (26-9) held the lead throughout much of the second set until Siloam Springs pushed in front with a 9-1 run buoyed by strong net play. Allison was right in the middle of the run with two kills and two block assists.
But Greenwood wouldn’t fold, knotting the score at 22, 23, 24, and 25. Siloam finished the set, though, on Alli Wade’s blast o◊the block and Staci Williamson’s solo block.
Cheek said she was definitely a little worried in that second set but was proud of her team’s fi ght.
“They were down what 9-1, 9-2,” Cheek said. “I was like about to have a stroke over there. But the girls just fought.”
Sports, Pages 15 on 11/02/2009
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