Fountain Lake Takes 16 Hours to Win Tournament
Bill Kauffman September 14, 2010
Photo: Theresa Davis
Fountain Lake High School (Hot Springs, Ark.)
Bill Kauffman
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: 719-228-6800
E-Mail: bill.kauffman@usav.org
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 13, 2010) - The Fountain Lake High School Lady Cobras endured a 16-hour tournament and the top teams in the state of Arkansas to capture the Mena Lady Bear Cat Classic held Sept. 11.
Fountain Lake, located in Hot Springs, Ark., started tournament action at 9 a.m. and ended the tournament at 1 a.m. with a victory over six-time Arkansas 5A state champion Siloam Springs High School to capture the title. Siloam Springs had not lost to another Arkansas high school in over a year.
Along the way, the Lady Cobras beat out the biggest and best volleyball teams the State of Arkansas has to offer. The tournament included defending Arkansas 3A State Champion Mansfield, Siloam Springs, Lavaca, Shiloh, Lake Hamilton, Mena, Waldron, Lakeside, CAC and Malvern.
Fountain Lake absorbed an opening pool play set loss to CAC by splitting the contest 20-21, 21-16. The Lady Cobras swept Malvern 21-19, 21-20 in the second pool play match before splitting with host Mena 21-20, 13-21. Fountain Lake ended pool play with sweeps of Mansfield (21-18, 21-16) and Shiloh Christian (21-20, 21-18).
Photo: Theresa Davis Ally Bell, captain of the Fountain Lake High School Lady Cobras and MVP of the Mena Lady Bear Cat Classic. The Lady Cobras scored a tough 26-24, 30-28 victory over Lakeside to open tournament bracket play. Ally Bell, a senior outside hitter/setter, tallied eight kills in the victory. Fountain Lake rallied in the semifinals to defeat Shiloh Christian 11-25, 25-21, 15-11 as Bell and senior middle blocker Isis Nero each had four kills. In the championship, the Lady Cobras toppled Siloam Springs 25-22, 18-25, 15-9. Bell had nine kills and two aces in the title match, while Nero added eight kills and two blocks.
Bell was named the tournament's most valuable player after 16 hours of volleyball competition that took until the next day to finalize the standings. Bell serves as the Lady Cobra team captain. She is an Arkansas All-State selection, two-time Arkansas All-State Tournament player and two-time all-district selection. Bell, who has played club for Hot Springs Juniors since 2007, has also been nominated to the AAO Top 25. Nero, senior setter Courtney Hollansworth and sophomore libero Ashley Wake of Fountain Lake were named to the all-tournament.
The Lady Cobras improved to 5-0 in regular season play with the tournament victory. Later this year Fountain Lake will host the Arkansas 3A State Tournament.
