Liberty girls volleyball falls to Philip Simmons in SCHSL Class 2A state championship
· Yahoo Sports
COLUMBIA — Carla Simpson went down the line of her players and coaching staff, greeting each one with a warm hug.
She tried her best to conceal the tears, as she got ready to pose for a picture holding up a runner-up trophy.
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The Liberty girls volleyball coach guided the Red Devils (28-4) to the hallway after a falling 3-1 (25-22, 25-19, 25-15, 25-19) to Philip Simmons (40-5) in the SCHSL Class 2A state championship at Dreher High School on Nov. 7.
“For those of you returning next year, remember this felling,” Simpson said to a group of teary-eyed players.
Despite the loss, the Red Devils exhibited grit, as they avoided a sweep after coming up short in the first two sets.
The victory in the third set wasn’t a surprise to Simpson.
“These girls just don’t have any quit in them,” she said. “They are so resilient, and they love to play together. There’s been several games this season where we’ve had to fight back, so they always feel like they’re going to have a chance.”
Getting to the state championship was just one of the goals for Red Devils, who last played in the title game in 2022.
What was the program’s other goal?
“This group has really embraced the ‘we over me’ mentality,” Simpson said. "It was never just about one person, always about the entire team. There were several girls new to our team this year, and they fit right in. When we win, it’s together. When we lose, it’s together. We’ll always be one family.”
Though Simpson was obviously sad about the painful loss, she also remained grateful. Ultimately, not many teams get to say they’ve played in a state championship game.
“At the end of the say, this season was unforgettable,” she said. “That’s how I’d describe it.”
Kamryn Jackson covers high school and college sports for the Spartanburg Herald-Journal, Greenville News, Anderson Independent Mail, and the USA TODAY Network.
This article originally appeared on Anderson Independent Mail: Liberty girls volleyball falls to Philip Simmons in SCHSL Class 2A state championship