GRAVETTE -- As has been the case all season long, the Gravette Lady Lions volleyball team struggled to maintain its cohesion when it faced the Farmington Lady Cardinals in the practice gym at Gravette High School Oct. 4. The end result was another conference loss for the Lady Lions, three sets to one.
Farmington gained control of the first set early and eventually took the win, 25-16.
The second set was an entirely different story. The Lady Lions took possession of much of the set, leading by as much as 10. A timeout by the Farmington coach turned the tide in the Lady Cardinals' favor as Farmington went on a run that negated the Gravette lead. Lady Lions coach Brandi Varner took a timeout to let the Lady Cardinals cool down a bit. When Gravette took the court again, the intensity level began to rise as the team came together, keeping pace with Farmington. However, Farmington maintained its edge and went on to win the set, 25-20.
Just as it looked like Gravette would lose the match in straight sets, the fans, led by football and basketball players, came alive and the practice gym erupted into Gravette fight chants. This was the push the Lady Lions needed to take the third set. With Gravette at set point, a single finger was lifted high into the air by Lady Lions supporters, indicating that Gravette was a mere point away from winning the set. But Farmington had other plans and began cutting into the Gravette lead. With the score at 25-24 in favor of the Lady Lions, the set victory was riding on the next shot. A Farmington error gave Gravette the point it needed to take the set, 26-24.
Gravette's momentum carried over into the fourth set as Farmington's game plan began to unravel. In yet another close set, the two teams battled it out for every point. Once again, a timeout by Farmington shifted the tide in favor of the Lady Cardinals, who eventually took the final set, 25-21, and the match, three sets to one.
The Gravette Lady Lions volleyball team returns to the practice gym at Gravette High School for its final game of the 2018 regular season. Nine seniors will play their final match before the home crowd Oct 11 at 5 p.m. Seniors Amanda Duncan, Kaylee Midyett, Allie Callahan, Haley Dawson, Hannah Westrick and Brooklyn Lykin will be honored prior to the start of the varsity contest with the Pea Ridge Lady Blackhawks.
Sports on 10/10/2018