Bentonville sweeps Siloam Springs in season opener

SILOAM SPRINGS -- Michelle Smith watched her Bentonville volleyball team fall behind in the first game against Siloam Springs, then called a timeout to regroup the troops Tuesday night.

The strategy worked for the defending Class 7A state champion, who suddenly bounced back and proceeded to take a three-game sweep over the Lady Panthers in the season opener for both teams at the Panther Athletic Center.

Sadie Pate had 13 kills and Savannah King added 25 digs to lead the Lady Tigers, who only trailed one other time in the 25-17, 25-10, 25-13 victory.

"Siloam came out and pounced on us pretty quick," Smith said. "I thought we did a good job of stepping back, gathering our thoughts and cutting back on our unforced errors and taking control of the game.

"Siloam was a disciplined team at times, but it helped us in their serving department. We took advantage of it."

Bentonville (1-0) rallied with eight of the next nine points for a 12-8 cushion, with Pate picking up two kills and an assisted block with Kathryn Charlson during the run. The only other time the Lady Tigers trailed again in the match was on a service error to start the third quarter as Bentonville piled points on in groups on several occasions.

Siloam Springs (0-1) didn't help its cause by not putting together any scoring runs after its six straight points early in the first game. The Lady Panthers' biggest run after that came after Bentonville had a 13-5 lead in the third game as Ellie Lampton -- one of two freshmen on Siloam Springs' varsity roster -- picked up a kill, followed by back-to-back aces by Shaylon Sharp.

"It was our youth and inexperience," Siloam Springs coach Rose Cheek said. "We start one freshman and two sophomores, and at one point we had two freshmen and a sophomore on the net. We're young and smaller than most teams we play.

"When we do the right things, we're in the game. The first game, I wasn't too disappointed, especially the first 15 or 16 points. We competed, but in service receive, they just annihilated us."

Bentonville aided its cause with nine aces, with Brooke Prime picking up three of her four in a row. Tymber Riley added three aces, while Pate chipped in two to go with her kills.

Bentonville returns to action Thursday with a nonconference match at Springfield (Mo.) Kickapoo. Siloam Springs travels to Rogers High for a nonconference match Thursday night.

Sports on 08/26/2015

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