GREENWOOD -- Marion closed out the first two games with a pair of impressive runs and the Lady Patriots then pulled away for an easy win in the third game to sweep Siloam Springs 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-16) in the quarterfinals at the Class 6A State Volleyball Tournament Wednesday night at H.B. Stewart Arena.
Marion (27-4) will play Russellville in the semifinals at 3 p.m. today.
Class 6A State Volleyball Tournament
At Greenwood
Tuesday
Game 1: 3E Jonesboro def. 3S Lake Hamilton 3-0 (25-23, 25-7, 25-16)
Game 2: 2E Mountain Home def. 5S El Dorado 3-0 (25-3, 25-10, 25-8)
Game 3: 3C Siloam Springs def. 4S Texarkana 3-0 (25-13, 25-17, 25-20)
Game 4: 2C Russellville def. 6S LR Parkview 3-0 (25-7, 25-8, 25-6)
Wednesday
Game 5: 1C Greenwood def. Jonesboro 3-1 (25-15, 25-20, 23-25, 25-17)
Game 6: Mountain Home def. 2S Sheridan 3-(25-23, 25-16, 25-18)
Game 7: 1E Marion def. Siloam Springs 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-16)
Game 8: 1S Russellville def. Benton 3-0 (25-12, 25-17, 25-12)
Game 9: Greenwood vs. Mountain Home, 1 p.m.
Game 10: Marion vs. Russellville, 3 p.m.
Lady Patriots senior Diane Phillips led Marion with 15 kills while Gabi Catt and Sarah Betts had eight and seven kills, respectively. The win was Marion's first match in eight days after the Lady Patriots earned a first-round bye at the state tournament.
"Siloam Springs is young, scrappy and they played hard," Marion coach Lisa Beasley said. "We came out a little slow, and I am proud that we found a way to pull together and get a win. Phillips is a tremendous player, and a great team leader. Gabi Catt played a great match and she was ready to play. Those two have been our go-to players."
Siloam Springs (9-25) led 18-15 in the first game but Marion used a 7-1 run en route to a 25-23 win and a 1-0 lead. The Lady Patriots then used a 5-1 run to close out a 25-23 victory in the second game. Siloam Springs had two service errors in the first game and three service errors in the second game, including two after taking a 21-19 lead.
"Those serving errors really hurt us at crucial times," said Siloam Springs coach Rose Cheek. "We we should have put them away in the first two, but we didn't do it."
Marion then jumped to leads of 8-2 and 19-10 in the third game to complete the sweep. Sophomore Shaylon Sharp led Siloam Springs with nine kills while Madisyn Fullerton had four kills. Fullerton also had 19 digs for the Lady Panthers.
"We came in with a lot of fight, guts and love," Cheek said. "We didn't quit, and I am very proud of them. Marion just built to big of a lead on us."
Greenwood 3, Jonesboro 1
Erin Black and Madi Pfeifer combined for 30 kills and Greenwood dished up 11 aces as the Lady Bulldogs defeated Jonesboro 3-1 (25-15, 25-20, 23-25, 25-17) Wednesday in the quarterfinals at the Class 6A State Volleyball Tournament at H.B. Stewart Arena.
Greenwood (22-6) will face Mountain Home in the semifinals at 1 p.m. today. The Lady Bombers defeated Sheridan 3-0 (25-23, 25-16, 25-18) in another quarterfinals match on Wednesday. Jonesboro ends the year at 16-14.
Greenwood used seven aces in the first two games for an early 2-0 lead but Jonesboro stormed back and won the third game 25-23 to cut the Lady Bulldogs lead to 2-1.
But Pfeifer (6-foot-4), Black (6-0) and Kelsey Knox were too much for the Lady Hurricane in the fourth game as Greenwood used a 10-2 run for a 17-10 lead en route to the deciding 25-17 victory. Black led Greenwood with 18 kills while Pfeifer finished with 12. Knox had four of her nine kills in the fourth game.
"Jonesboro is a solid team," said Greenwood coach Jennifer Golden. "They came out and played hard and fought us. You always have a mental edge when you have a game or two on the other team. I think we just mentally lapsed in that third game.
"We refocused right before the (fourth set) and I think the girls got it in their heads it was time to take care of business."
Golden said that Black and Pfeifer have been solid all season for the Lady Bulldogs. Black also had 20 assists and one ace. Knox added three aces while Brooke Shortes had three aces and 29 assists.
"They (Black and Pfeifer) are two of our go-to people," Golden said. "They play well and we look to them every game. Kelsey is also a big player, and we look to her a lot, too."
Jonesboro coach Craig Cummings said Greenwood's service game was the difference in the match. Magan Wicker had 13 kills for Jonesboro while Kandace Pointer added 10 kills.
"Greenwood serves really tough, and that is where it all starts," Cummings said. "We didn't handle the service game to give ourselves better attacking opportunities. We gave them a lot of free balls. When you do that against an offense like that and the hitters they have, you are in trouble."
Mountain Home 3, Sheridan 0
The Lady Bombers advanced to the semifinals with a hard-fought 3-0 (25-23, 25-16, 25-18) victory over Sheridan Wednesday afternoon. Mountain (21-9) will face Greenwood in the semifinals today at 1 p.m. The Lady Bombers have won 20 or more games for a fifth-straight season.
Russellville 3, Benton 0
Defending champion Russellville advanced to the semifinals with a 3-0 (25-12, 25-17, 25-12) win over Benton. The Lady Cyclones will play Marion today at 3 p.m.
Class 4A
Shiloh Christian def. Batesville Southside 3-0
The Lady Saints cruised to a second-round win in the Class 4A state tournament behind Reagan Robinson.
Robinson, an Arkansas verbal commit, pounded 22 kills, 13 digs and 5 aces to lead the Lady Saints to a 3-0 (25-17, 25-11, 25-1) sweep to advance to today's semifinals in Mena.
Anna Gookin added 9 kills and 2 blocks for Shiloh Christian (27-9-1). Celestene Sebag added 13 digs, and Allie Pitts and Hannah Smithson combined for 36 assists.
The Lady Saints will take on Brookland at 1 p.m. today in the first semifinal match.
Sports on 10/29/2015