By Chris Parker & Danielle King
Fair Grove’s run through the postseason had been nothing but pure dominance heading into the Class 2 state title game on Saturday.
The Lady Eagles were a perfect 15-0 in sets outscoring their opponents 376-234 over the course of five matches.
All that was standing in their way of the ultimate goal was 15-time state champion and 28-time final four participant Hermann.
Hermann played like their resume suggested in the state championship game, but Fair Grove found a way to win in five sets to claim the program’s first state title.
The Bearcats put Fair Grove back on its heels taking the first set 25-22.
Fair Grove head coach Tonya Peck regrouped her team in the huddle between sets knowing some of their tactics had to change in the face of a stout Hermann defense.
“I had to tell my kids that we are not going to swing a really hard swing and get the kill. We are going to have a rally on our hands. We have to fight through an entire rally,” Peck said. “Every touch that we (get) and every hitting attempt we go for has to have a purpose to it.”
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The second set was all Fair Grove in a 25-18 decision to tie the match at 1-1. The Lady Eagles hit .308 in the second set after hitting .038 in the firs set.
Hermann had a response in the third set taking it 25-17 to put Fair Grove on the brink.
Again, Fair Grove responded. The Lady Eagles won set four 25-21 to force a decisive fifth set.
“We didn’t fold. We didn’t give up. That is the M.O. (modus operandi) of this group. They don’t (give up). They just keep going,” Peck said.
Peck’s message to her team heading into deciding set was simple.
“Going into the fifth set, I told them this is what dreams are made of; this is what we live for,” Peck said. “I said every fifth set that we have played this year we have won. Every time we have gone to a fifth set, we have won. Go win it.”
Win it is what Fair Grove did.
The Lady Eagles dominated the final set 15-5 to give Fair Grove volleyball its first state title in program history and just the second state championship for any team sport in Fair Grove history.
The attack was led by Shea Skouby (16 kills), Hannah Maxwell (12 kills) and Ashton Bell (11 kills). Brooke Daniels had 30 assists while Maxwell contributed 21. Defensively, Faith Klindworth led the charge with 33 digs. Daniels (25), Maxwell (19), Bell (17) and Allison Findley (17) all had double-digit digs as well.
Fair Grove finishes the season with a 35-1-2 record overall.
