VILONIA The four-time defending state champions visited Vilonia on Thursday, but Karla Ault's Lady Eagles didn't give up without a fight on Senior Night.
Siloam Springs, which will try to extend its state title streak to five next week, prevailed, 25-11, 25-12, 25-21.
"They're just so talented and so athletic," Ault said of Rose Cheek's Lady Panthers. "There are a lot of things you can compete with, but you can't compete against that."
Vilonia closed the year 4-8 for sixth place in the 5A-West Conference.
The bigger Lady Panthers put down kill after kill early in building a 10-3 lead in Game 1. Staci Williamson served three consecutive aces and got help from kills by Courtney Marshall. Siloam extended its lead to 18-7 on a Vilonia error, but Hannah Allison's kill and ace and back-to-back kills by Lizzy Briones and Maci Lewis ended the game.
Siloam Springs again moved out to a 10-3 lead in Game 2 as Allison served for five consecutive points. The Lady Panthers moved ahead 19-5 on Allie Wade's serve; Lewis' kill from the left side and three straight aces by Wade put the advantage to 14 points. Liz Clites and Heather Brantley had winners for Vilonia, but Briones from the left side ended Game 2, 25-12.
With a raucous student section rallying them, the Lady Eagles overcame a 4-0 deficit off Lewis' serve in Game 3. The Lady Panthers made three consecutive errors as Mallorie Ault served Vilonia within 10-8, and Kalyn Rappold pulled the Lady Eagles within 17-16 as Clites had another kill and Vilonia forced a couple of Siloam Springs errors.
Ashley Talbert tied the game at 18-all off another Lady Panther mistake; Clites' put-down gave the Lady Eagles the lead, 19-18.
Siloam Springs reclaimed the lead on a block by Briones and Anna Markovich, 20-19. Siloam closed strongly with a Briones dink for a winner, a Briones-Williamson block and a Briones kill from the middle, 24-20.
"She's going to be something special," Ault said of Briones, a 5-foot-11 sophomore. "She's just so long and lean."
Williamson ended the match from the right side, 25-21.
"It was a fun atmosphere, I thought," Ault said. "There were times when they played like a mini-college. It's hard we can't practice against that."
Vilonia celebrated the careers of Clites, Courtney McEntire, Talbert, Taryn Castellani and Sam Nealey.
Castellani finished with three digs, two kills and a block. Clites recorded three digs, seven kills and four blocks. McEntire was perfect on five serves with one kill, one block and 10 digs. Sam Nealey served eight of eight with two kills, three blocks and two digs. Ashley Talbert was perfect on five serves and added seven digs. Mallorie Ault served six of six with five assists and three digs; Heather Brantley had two kills, seven digs and served five of five. Jessica Ragland had one kill, two blocks and four digs. Kalyn Rappold was perfect on six serves and handed out five assists; Victoria Samuelson had six digs.
Siloam Springs also won the junior varsity match, 25-21, 25-17.
In that match, Mallorie Ault served four of five with two kills, one dig and two assists. Ragland had four kills and a dig. Rappold served four of four with eight digs, a kill and an assist. Samuelson had two digs and two kills; Julie Stanley served three aces with two digs and one kill. Scarlett Green was perfect on four serves and added four digs and an assist. Maggie Brewer recorded two digs, two assists and one kill. Betsy Bartlett had two digs and two assists. Sarah Weaver had two digs and a kill; Kendall Cotton served six of six with five digs; and Krystal Valentine had one dig.
