BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – After finishing as state runner ups just a season ago, the Lady Knights of Arab were back on the court at Bill Harris Arena competing for the 5A State Championship Wednesday. This time, they faced top-ranked Montgomery Academy, and they were tied 1-1 with the Eagles after the first two sets but couldn’t keep pace in the next two, and Montgomery Academy pulled away to win this year’s 5A state title 3-1.
Arab Head Coach Amy Hudson has been coaching this team’s seniors for six years and is extremely proud of all they’ve helped the program accomplish in their time playing for the Knights.
“Needless to say, I could not be more proud of Arab and our girls. This year we have a group of six seniors that I’ve coached since seventh grade, so this is a very hard day, because I haven’t known Arab volleyball without them,” Hudson said. “It’s really sad but they have fought. I’m proud of the fight they showed and this is something they’ve worked for for a very long time. I just couldn’t be more proud.”
Montgomery Academy 3 – Arab 1 (16-25, 25-23, 19-25, 14-25)
Montgomery Academy jumped out to an early, 8-3 lead in the opening set and after the Knights managed to trim it to 9-5, a 4-1 run by the Eagles extended the lead to 13-6. Arab cut the lead down to 15-12 midway through the set, but Montgomery Academy outscored the Knights 10-4 the rest of the way to take the first set 25-16.
The Knights bounced back in the second set, taking a 9-7 lead over the Eagles early. Montgomery Academy was able to tie things up at 10 but a 6-0 run by Arab gave the Knights a 16-10 advantage midway through the set that they eventually stretched to 20-13. However, the Eagles rallied and tied it up at 21 late in the set. With the score knotted at 23, Arab scored the final two points to claim a 25-23 win in the second set and tie the match at 1-1.
The third set was just as tight as the first two. Neither team could build more than a one- or two-point lead until midway through the set when Montgomery Academy pulled ahead 16-13. The Eagles extended their lead to 19-13 as the set went on and Arab managed to bring the lead down to four at one point but couldn’t come any closer than that and Montgomery Academy took a 2-1 lead in the match with a 25-19 win in the third set.
The Eagles jumped out to a 5-2 lead early in the fourth set and after the Knights responded to tie it up at 5, a 4-0 run allowed Montgomery Academy to take a 9-5 lead. Arab wouldn’t go away and put together a 5-0 run of its own to tie things up at 10 midway through the set. Unfortunately for the Knights faithful packed in Bill Harris Arena, the Lady Eagles used a 10-1 run to move ahead of Arab 20-11. The Knights were unable to overcome the late push and Montgomery Academy took the fourth set 25-14 and captured this year’s 5A State Championship.
Laney Kelley led Arab with 16 kills. Bennett Elrod (13 digs) and Lexi Mann each added nine kills. Millie Lackey finished with 35 assists and Marissa Pope led the Knights with 18 digs.
Kelley and Sami Kate Hudson both earned All-State Tournament honors.
Hudson is extremely proud of what her teams have accomplished in her tenure, especially the last two seasons, and hopes that success can continue to build excitement around the program.
“They have set a precedent. To be here two years in a row is something that not a lot of schools can do and it’s very difficult to go through a second season with a target on your back like we have and to make it back here is a huge success,” Hudson said. “It’s not how we wanted it to end but I’m ok, we’re ok because it’s the next best thing. We brought home a map; it just wasn’t quite the right color, but they knew coming in that there was nothing they could do today to change my opinion of this season and they fought till the end.”
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