What do you get when you have two seniors, three players with playoff experience, and a whole lot of doubters? For the 2016 volleyball team, it was a winning combination

The varsity volleyball team finished third in the state tournament this season. They fell in four sets to the Harding Academy Lions in an elimination game that determined who would play Knoxville Webb in the state finals.

Prior to the elimination game, the Gryphons lost in three sets to Knoxville Webb during their first game of the tournament yet bounced back in their second game and eliminated King’s Academy.

Despite coming up just short of the state final game, the team went further than some may have expected.

“I don’t think anyone thought they’d be doing this well,” said alumna Sophia Quesada. The team had to rebuild their starting lineup a lot after losing multiple seniors last year.

Even current team members were skeptical about their potential going into the season.

“I think even the team wasn’t sure how we were going to be this year,” junior Kate Seabrook said.

Going into the tournament at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), only three players on the team had played a game at the state tournament level.

Among the inexperienced players were sophomore Abby Walker and freshman Adi Thrasher, who played well according to teammates.

“They did great,” Seabrook said.

“We actually did better than we did last year,” said senior Julie Anne Joyner.  “We just worked hard and pushed through and defied the odds.”