SPANISH FORT – Of the 15 teams that stormed the Hill at Spanish Fort High Saturday, the Murphy Panthers took the fort and the title in the Battle at Spanish Fort without losing a set.

MHS, ranked No. 6 in 6A, topped Montgomery Academy 25-24, 25-21 in the finals after drawing the bye. Before that they knocked Robertsdale out in the quarters 25-19, 25-21.

Last year, Murphy beat the RHS Lady Bears in the finals which went five long games. Saturday, the Panthers advanced out of pool play with wins over Escambia County (Fla.), Leroy, Fairhope and Daphne's Lady Trojans who advanced as the pool runner up, but fell to MA's Eagles in the quarters.

MA then defeated Faith Academy in the semifinals in a three-set thriller 25-21, 10-25, 15-11.

The host team Toros also advanced to play Faith in the quarters but fell to the Rams in a squeaker.

Murphy setter Jennifer Youngpeter was named the tournament MVP and had 156 assists. O'Neal McMullen and Logan Johns led the Panther assault with 58 and 40 kills each while libero Sherrill Dahlman led the defense.

One bright spot for the Lady Trojans was the return of senior setter Brooke Carpenter who injured her ankle in the second match of the season. "We're glad to get Brookie back on the floor. But we still need to work on some areas," said DHS coach Kay Flarity whose team is undefeated in area play against Satsuma and Baldwin County but still has perennial powerhouse McGill-Toolen Catholic to get ready for next Tuesday. Daphne will host Robertsdale Thursday at 4:30 p.m. in a rematch of their first meeting which DHS won.