Liberty-Benton captured its first Ohio Division III state title in volleyball Saturday afternoon, defeating Independence, 18-25, 30-28, 25-23, 21-25, 15-11, in an entertaining five-set slugfest at the Nutter Center in Dayton.

Karis Willow, the Eagles’ precocious 6-3 freshman, used all of her length to put away the final ball that brought the title home to Findlay in the Northwest part of the state.

It was the kind of intense, well-played match that delighted from the first point to the last, one where no lead was too big and no one deserved to lose.

The Liberty-Benton size eventually became just too overwhelming.