FAYETTEVILLE -- The first set at Bulldog Arena on Tuesday set the tone for the entire match between Fayetteville and Rogers High.
For Fayetteville, an easy win in the first set was hard to follow up in the second and third sets. For Rogers High, the big hole early was too much to overcome, as the Lady Bulldogs had a decisive edge in a 25-6, 25-15, 25-16 victory in 7A-West Conference play on Tuesday.
Fayetteville (11-6, 4-0 7A-West) scored the first eight points in the first set and built a commanding 21-3 lead, with two of Rogers' first three points coming off Lady'Dogs errors.
From the outset, it was an offensive clinic for Fayetteville, as freshman setter Ella May Powell scored assist after assist in the opening set, with freshman Haley Warner and sophomore Hadley Spresser picking up the bulk of the kills early.
"I thought we came out definitely ready to play tonight," Fayetteville coach Jessica Phelan said. "We came out with a great game one performance. Offensively we were pretty on. That kind of let up as the night went on but overall I was really proud of the way we took care of business."
Rogers (7-6, 1-3) stood little chance against Fayetteville's advantage at the net. But the Lady Mounties did put up a stronger fight after the first set, forcing Fayetteville to pull away late in the second and third games to close out the match in a sweep.
"(Fayetteville) set the tone and I think my girls just got nervous," Rogers High coach Jeana Breedlove said. "It took us a while to get settled down, but I don't feel like we ever really played our game.
"There at the end we did (play better), but we scored way to many for them on their end. Even in the third game we had unforced errors, I think I counted six in a row at one point, and you can't play like against a good team and expect to compete."
Finishing at a peak level is a goal for the Lady Bulldogs.
"The consistency was definitely there in game one," Phelan said. "And we're seeing more of that throughout the matches with our team. So we're happy with where our team is at."
Powell finished with 34 assists and three aces for Fayetteville, Warner added 17 kills and four blocks and Spresser contributed 12 digs and nine kills. Rogers was led by Kimi Davis with 16 digs and Shannon Orlopp with eight kills.
Both teams are back in action on Thursday. The Lady Bulldogs visit Springdale High and Rogers is at Fort Smith Northside.
Sports on 09/17/2014