Twin Rivers junior Stephanie Jennings waits for the beginning of play after a timeout in the MSHSAA Sectional playoff against Liberty on Saturday in Piedmont. (Rob Tate/DAR) [Click to enlarge]

By ROB TATE ~ DAR Sports Writer

PIEDMONT -- Twin Rivers' first trip to the MSHSAA volleyball playoffs in school history wasn't a successful one.

The Lady Royals got the early edge on Liberty at the start of the match, but the Lady Eagles cruised from there, winning 25-18, 25-16 at Clearwater High School. The win advanced Liberty to the quarterfinals later Saturday evening where they lost to top-ranked Scott City 25-10, 25-19.

The Lady Royals were gloomy afterwards, but they still had quite the successful season that saw the furthest advancement in the Volleyball playoffs in school history.

"For lack of a better comparison, it's almost like a funeral," Twin Rivers coach Kelly Null said. "You try to celebrate what happened good but you dwell on the sadness of it. I'm proud of the girls, I think they played very hard but they ran out of steam."

The Lady Royals took the early lead in the first game, but could of built an even larger lead. But three service errors within the first 10 points of the game kept Liberty in the game.

The Lady Royals largely fed off the momentum of the loud crowd that was into it for the first point. Getting momentum is something Null said has worked out for them all season.

"We're not huge athletes," Null said of her team. "If you watch us warm up and them warm up it would look like its a slaughter. We have so much heart that you can't even measure it and even though they seem to be more together and trained.

"I feel like heart is more important."

Twin Rivers (17-10-3) held the lead up until it was 12-11 in the first game. But the Lady Eagles would reel off three straight points and would never relinquish the lead the rest of the afternoon.

Twin Rivers sophomore Mallory Douglas played solidly in the first game as she made some key blocks and kills.

"She's a sophomore but at this point of the year, you're not really a sophomore," Null added.

"You've already been through everything. She's pretty shy and timid but she's really come out of her shell. I was really proud at the way she played. I think she gave us all she could"

Douglas had a team-high four blocks on the afternoon.

The second game was led by the Lady Eagles (22-9-3) from start to finish although Twin Rivers stayed in it. The Lady Royals cut the lead to one point at 17-16, but Liberty rallied at the end with eight straight serves by Mandi Riddle ended the game and the title hopes of Twin Rivers.

Stephanie Jennings and Torey Davis each had nine kills for the Royals. Tayler McLane had eight assists and Danielle Cole had seven digs.

Null will be losing four seniors in Davis, McLane, Tabitha Hackle and Fallon Stewart.

"The good part about my job is I get to come back and refocus every year," Null said. "Sadly, (the seniors) move on and you don't get to work with them (anymore). There's a lot of leadership there that we are losing. They'll be missed and it will be hard to replace them but I got underclassman that I know will step in."