By Michael Lindsay
The Upperman Lady Bees wrapped up their 2023 season Wednesday afternoon as one of the final 8 volleyball teams standing in Class 2A as they were defeated in the state tournament by Crockett County in 5 sets.
“Once you get to this point, all you can do is go out and play,” said Upperman head coach Barbie Cook. “We’ve had an amazing season and we’ve come much further than we imagined. We got here and were cut short, but that doesn’t mean we haven’t grown and learned.”
The Lady Bees fell in the first two sets 25-22 and 25-20 and faced a sweep before rallying to win the third set 25-19 and fourth 25-17. Crockett County won the fifth set, 15-13, to win the match.
“They realized they had to turn it on and fight hard, and they did,” Cook said on her team’s comeback. “Even at the end, they didn’t back down. They were willing to give it all they had.”
Wednesday’s state tournament game was the finale for Upperman seniors Lila Cade, Kailyn Stevens and Kaitlyn Foster.
“It’s hard for them because they’ve been a big part of this program,” Cook said. “Their impact on this program has been amazing; for our younger ones coming into the program, they see what our expectations are.”
Upperman held a 12-8 lead in the first set via a Cade kill before Crockett County battled back to tie the set at 18. The Lady Cavaliers took their first lead at 19-18 before pulling away with a 25-22 set victory.
The Lady Bees again led in the second set 17-15 before Crockett County tied the contest at 20. The Lady Cavaliers closed the second set on a 5-0 run to take a 25-20 victory and 2-0 lead over Upperman.
Facing a sweep with their season on the line, Upperman took control of the third set en route to a 25-19 victory and cut their deficit to 2-1.
Upperman opened the fourth set with a 14-9 lead via a Meiah Moss kill. The Lady Bees held off a late Crockett County rally in the fourth to win it 25-27 and force a winner-take-all fifth set to 15.
The teams exchanged 3-0 runs to start the fifth set before Crockett County pulled away to a 9-5 lead. Upperman didn’t go away, however, as the Lady Bees answered to tie the game at 12 via a Cade kill.
After exchanging a point each, Crockett County and Upperman found themselves tied at 13 before the Lady Cavaliers scored the game’s final two points to win the fifth set 15-13 and the match 3-2.
Upperman finishes the 2023 season at 25-11 overall. The Lady Bees won the District 7AA and Region 4AA championships along with a Class 2A Sectional game before finishing their season in the TSSAA Class 2A state tournament.
“Whenever you say Upperman, it’s a community that’s bonded way beyond regular means,” Cook said. “To have the love and support we’ve had this season has been amazing, and it’s meant a lot to the girls and to us as coaches.”
