Volleyball: Springdale Har-Ber Outlasts Rogers Heritage in 5 Sets

 Staff Photo Michael Woods • @NWAMICHAELW Bailey Baxendale, Rogers Heritage setter, makes a dig during Thursday’s game against Springdale Har-Ber in Rogers.
Staff Photo Michael Woods • @NWAMICHAELW Bailey Baxendale, Rogers Heritage setter, makes a dig during Thursday’s game against Springdale Har-Ber in Rogers.

ROGERS -- Springdale Har-Ber thought it had won a hard-fought 7A-West Conference volleyball match in four sets, then appeared to be on cusp of losing in five.

The Lady Wildcats turned back a Rogers Heritage match point, after failing on a match point of their own and finally celebrated when Destiny Boston's shot was wide for an incredible 3-2 (28-30, 25-15, 25-21, 25-27, 17-15) victory on Thursday night at War Eagle Arena.

The Lady Wildcats (10-4, 3-2 7A-West Conference) appeared to have won the fourth set 25-23, but after the two officials talked a replay was called. Heritage went on to win the set and force a fifth.

Heritage (7-6-1, 2-3) carried that momentum into the fifth set and grabbed an 11-6 lead, but Har-Ber fought back and grabbed a 13-12 lead with a 7-1 run. The teams were tied at 13, 14 and 15 before the Lady Wildcats scored the final two points.

Har-Ber coach Shyra Schisler couldn't have been more pleased with her team's heart and determination.

"One of our biggest things is learning and believing we can win," Schisler said. "If we have to win twice tonight, then we have to win twice tonight. What I was proud of was we were down in game five and we were pretty down on ourselves.

"We were very nervous. We have young girls out there. I was proud of how my seniors stepped up and led in game five. That's a big turning point for us to be aggressive when it's tight and we're behind."

Kim Huff finished with a match-high 18 kills and seven service aces. The 6-foot-2 senior contributed a kill, a block assist and two aces during Har-Ber's big 7-1 run in the fifth set.

Sophomore Paige Williams added 16 kills and 14 digs, while junior Emily Thompson chipped in nine kills and three blocks.

Tiffany Ray contributed a team-high 30 assists, while libero Emily Doss had a team-high 22 digs.

Rogers Heritage coach Sarah Miser was also happy with her team's fight, but acknowledged they must learn how to finish. The Lady War Eagles have lost all three five-set matches they have played this season and two have come this week.

"We had opportunities to finish and they did, too," Miser said. "I thought they fought hard. There are many times they could have just stopped. It was just little things. Not that they gave up or hurt ourselves necessarily."

Elleson Dunagin led the Lady War Eagles with 18 kills and 15 digs, while Connor McNulty and Maddie Hotelling added eight kills each. Bailey Baxendale finished with a match-high 31 digs

Sports on 09/19/2014

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