BENTONVILLE -- Varenya Nallur and Maddie Tucker were just spectators of last year's Class 7A state volleyball championship, but that one match inside Russellville's Cyclone Gymnasium has burned a vivid picture in their minds that they just can't forget.
They watched in disbelief as their Bentonville teammates lost to Fort Smith Southside and felt the disappointment that came after the final point was scored. Now they are part of a senior-laden Lady Tigers team who will open their regular season Tuesday with a home match against Siloam Springs, and this group is determined not to experience that feeling again.
Bentonville Lady Tigers 2014 Volleyball Schedule
Date^Opponent^Time
Aug. 26^Siloam Springs^6:30 p.m.
Aug. 28^Springfield (Mo.) Kickapoo^6:30 p.m.
Aug. 30^at Jenks, Okla.^Noon
Sept. 1^at Carl Junction, Mo.^6:30 p.m.
Sept. 4^Fort Smith Northside*^6:30 p.m.
Sept. 5-6^at Tulsa (Okla.) Bishop Kelley Tourney^TBA
Sept. 9^at Springdale Har-Ber*^6:30 p.m.
Sept. 11^at Rogers High*^ 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 16^Springdale High*^6:30 p.m.
Sept. 18^at Fort Smith Southside*^6:30 p.m.
Sept. 20^at Springfield (Mo.) Kickapoo Tourney^TBA
Sept. 23^Rogers Heritage*^6:30 p.m.
Sept. 25^Fayetteville*^6:30 p.m.
Sept. 30^at Fort Smith Northside^6:30 p.m.
Oct. 2^Springdale Har-Ber*^6:30 p.m.
Oct. 7^Rogers High*^6:30 p.m.
Oct. 9^at Springdale High*^6:30 p.m.
Oct. 14^Fort Smith Southside*^6:30 p.m.
Oct. 16^at Rogers Heritage*^6:30 p.m.
Oct. 18^at Blue Valley (Kan.) Tourney^TBD
Oct. 21^at Fayetteville*^6:30 p.m.
Oct. 26-31^at Class 7A State Tournament^TBA
- — 7A-West Conference match
"I was so excited to be there and telling myself I couldn't wait to be there next year," Tucker said. "Just being there and seeing them lose in three games was rough.
"But it made me come into this year with a little more fire. Now I want it even worse because we didn't get it last year."
Her Bentonville teammates share that same sentiment, particularly the 11 seniors on the 19-players varsity roster this fall and especially those like Anna LeDuc and Haley Seyfarth who were on the floor in last year's title match. Many of them have been together since the seventh grade, and now the Lady Tigers have gone two straight years without a state title.
This is the seniors' last chance at that elusive goal, and players like Nallur would prefer to call herself and her teammates determined more than desperate.
"We know we are a really strong team, and when we pull together, we can achieve anything," said Nallur, now in her first year of varsity action. "I think we have that mindset the whole time, there's no looking back at the end.
"As seniors, we know it's our last chance. In practice, we know there's no room for slacking off. If we really want it, we have to give 110 percent and no messing up."
It's that sort of determination that Bentonville coach Michelle Smith has seen on display ever since the Lady Tigers began preseason workouts in early July, and it has brought on a more intense atmosphere that she enjoys seeing among her players. She has noticed a different kind of fire that drives this year's team -- to the point where she notices players holding their teammates and themselves accountable for what takes place on the court.
While some coaches may want their players to forget about the past and that this fall presents a new season, Smith doesn't mind the Lady Tigers remembering what happened last year. That's because it's the fuel for that fire those players have developed.
"They definitely have a little chip on their shoulder, and I know they have talked about it," Smith said. "As a coach, reaching the state final is not falling short. It's a huge accomplishment that some programs never get to see. I think it's just expected at Bentonville.
"But these girls have a very fresh memory of that day. They definitely haven't forgotten what that day felt like, and I think that's the best medicine for them right now."
Sports on 08/24/2014