The Pea Ridge volleyball team has been around for less than a decade and in that span has proven it can be a force to reckon with. The team made it to the state tournament for the first time last season and is trying to make it back again.
"We've only been around for five years and coming this far so fast I think will make us look really good," said Middle Blocker Sara Kahle.
"They don't want to lose to anybody," said Head Coach Jessica Woods. "They have played against a lot of these schools and teams for the last three years and five years for some of them. They have a competitive nature against those other players and it's helping them."
Pea Ridge has put itself in a good position to win the 4A Northwest. The Lady Blackhawks are tied with Berryville for first place in league standings at 8-1. To earn the conference title the girls know they must finish the regular season strong.
"We've had to close out a bunch of really close games so that helps us get the feel for closing the season with all wins," said Outside Hitter Casi Caton.
"It's still anybody's game," said Woods. "There are no gimme games in this conference and I think that makes it so vital that you show up for every match. In the 4A we go into a district tournament, which determines our seeding into state so we have to continue to improve and get better every match or else we could end up with a very short season."
If the Lady Blackhawks do win conference this year they are hoping that will prove Pea Ridge girl sports teams are just as competitive as the boys.
"In the past its been oh the boys basketball team is so good or the football team is so good," said Kahle. "It's never really been that girls team is impressive and I think that's what we are trying to prove."
"We want to do the very best we can and prove that girls athletics isn't just some other thing you can go to on a Tuesday or Thursday night just to hang out," said Caton. "It's for our school and for our girls at Pea Ridge."