Class 5A Arkansas state volleyball championship: Benton bounces back from title-game loss last year

By Jeff Halpern | Photos by Tommy Land  

HOT SPRINGS — A year ago, the Benton Lady Panthers lost the Class 5A state championship to Little Rock Christian 3-2 in which all five games were decided by a total of 15 points.  

Saturday night at Bank Ozk Arena, the No. 3-ranked Lady Panthers (28-1) defeated No. 5 Valley View (21-4-1) 25-21, 26-24, 25-23 for the Class 5A state title.

“I’ll take this one a lot better,” said Benton head coach Michelle Shoppach. “Our kids kept playing. In that third set, we kept pushing. They gave us a very hard time. I looked at the stats, and we had only 2 aces and that’s not like us because we normally get a lot of aces. All three sets were close, and we had to work for it.”

Valley View which has been to the state finals 20 years in a row and had won the past seven consecutive state championships (2015-2017 at 5A and 2018-2021 at 4A) was looking to win in its return to 5A.

“I expected it to be a close match,” said Valley View head coach Margie McGee. “They were the powerhouse team, and we’re the defensive team and I’m a firm believer that defense wins championships. I thought we were in fine position until we lost our setter [Riley Owens] because we were up two at the time. She runs our offense and is one of two players we run our offense through.

“Our kids worked so hard, and we gave ourselves a chance. That’s all I can ask of them. I was so proud of how hard they worked and they put themselves in a chance to win it.”

The Blazers were up 15-13 in the third set when Owens injured her ankle colliding with the net support. She was assisted off the court and didn’t return.

Benton, which trailed 20-18, finally tied the game at 20-20 on a kill by Henley Hooks and a block Presley Pallette. The Panthers, who trailed 22-21, tied it again at 22-22 when Anna Larkin went into the net. Benton finally took the lead 23-22 when Bonnie Fagan’s attack went wide. An ace by Henley Hooks made it 24-23 before Morghan Weaver had a kill to close it to 24-23 befor Pallette had a kill to end it.

“This feels great,” said Abigail Lagemann, who finished with 17 kills and 16 digs. “All year long, we have worked hard after coming so close last year.”

Lagemann is committed to play beach volleyball at South Carolina.

“Abigail has been our MVP all year. We’ll miss her on the court, but we’re going to miss her leadership and off the court,” Shoppach said,

In addition to Lagemann, Delaney Cooper had 11 digs. Khennedi Guest had 9 kills. Isabella Lagemann, Abigail’s younger sister, had 8 kills and 6 digs. Hooks had 7 kills and 6 digs. Kenzie Garrett had 24 assists and 6 digs. Emmaline Armstrong had17 assists.

Morghan Weaver led Valley View with 13 kills and 8 digs. Micah McMillan had 10 kills, 8 digs and 14 assists. Owens had 16i assists, 3 kills and 8 digs before leaving with the ankle injury. Lylleigh Haddock had 11 digs.

In the first game, Benton jumped out to a 13-8 lead before Valley View tied the match at 21-21. Abigail Lagemann had a kill to put Benton up 22-21. An attack error by Fagan put the Lady Panthers up 23-21. Attack errors by Weaver and Owens set the final margin at 25-21,

The second game featured seven ties and two lead changes. Benton was up 23-21 before Valley View tied it thanks to an attack error by Hooks and a kill by Weaver. A kill by Weaver put Valley View up 24-23 with a chance to win it, but Abigail Lageman had a kill tie tie it at 24-24 before a block by Pallette and Hooks put Benton up 25-24 and a kill by Hooks ended it at 26-24.

“For me, this is my first state title, and I’ve been coaching at Benton for 11 years and this has been a super team with excellent leadership,” said Shoppach. “Our community has supported us, and this is good for central Arkansas.”

When asked if beating Valley View, which has been one of the state’s dominant programs for the past two decades, made the title even more special. Shoppach said she didn’t think it made it any more special, but she added that she had a ton of respect for McGee and for everything she has done for volleyball and that she wouldn’t be in the position to do what she’s doing if it wasn’t for McGee.