MURFREESBORO – Goodpasture didn’t get its first true test until the winners bracket finals of the TSSAA Class A State Volleyball Tournament.
The Lady Cougars swept each of their first two opponents before being pushed to five sets by Jackson’s Trinity Christian Academy.
Friday’s Class A state title match wasn’t nearly as dramatic, as Goodpasture captured the crown in straight sets in its rematch with Trinity Christian.
The first set was the closest of the match, with Goodpasture beating TCA 26-24 before winning the second set 25-13.
The Lady Cougars (32-4) kept their foot on the gas for the third set, holding off Trinity Christian 25-22 to seal the State Championship victory.
“I’m very proud of their effort from start to finish,” Goodpasture head coach Lynn Dearing said. “We did not let down at all.”
Goodpasture’s Jennifer Rochelle receives a serve from Trinity Christian during the Class A Girls’s Volleyball Tournament at Siegel High School in Murfreesboro on Friday.
Kylie Scruggs led the way for the Lady Cougars with 20 digs, 19 kills, three aces and a block on her way to being named tournament MVP. Lou Phillips was all over the court with 38 assists, 19 digs, three aces and two blocks, while Jennifer Rochelle added 27 blocks, eight kills and two assists.
Scruggs, a senior, played her last match as a Lady Cougar, but couldn’t have been happier with the outcome.
“It’s sad, but it’s the best way to have your last game,” Scruggs said.
Dearing said she was very pleased with the growth and maturation of her squad this year.
“This team has grown together. They have physically gotten so much stronger, they rely on each other, they trust each other, and we’ve just really jelled,” she said.
Despite losing in straight sets, TCA played well as Clare Taylor led they way for the Lady Lions with 20 kills, 20 digs, three assists and an ace, and Lauren Schmidt added 25 assists, 12 digs, five kills and an ace.
Trinity Christian finished 42-7.
They were really good,” Dearing said. “They will not let a ball fall easy, and I think we brought our best game today. So proud of our girls.”
