The Liberty volleyball team certainly is trying to keep everything in the family.
That's because the No. 10 Lions boast two sets of sisters on their roster. Emily and Holly Hall play for Liberty along with Kari and Keli Myers. Both pairs of siblings are helping the Lions in their drive to another state playoff appearance.
There are several strikingly similar facts about the Hall and Myers sisters.
Both are about 13 months apart in age with the elder (Emily, Kari) a senior and the younger a junior. All four have blond hair. Each duo has one person standing 5 feet 5 with the other at 5-3. And, each older player is in her second varsity season with the other athlete in her first year.
Also, both sets of sisters look upon the other as a type of security blanket. No matter what happens, each knows the other is around for support.
"Sisters are always going to be together," said Emily Hall. "Sisters are always going to be there for each other."
Emily and Holly -- whose best friend is Keli -- play different positions. Emily works as a setter, and Holly a hitter. So, the two often work together when they play.
When is the key word, however. Emily is a starter and plays often, and Holly doesn't receive as much court time yet. Holly admitted to pangs of jealousy at times, but said there's absolutely no anger.
"I saw how hard she worked and how it paid off," said Holly. "I know if she's doing the better job, I'd want her to be out there."
The Myers sisters work under different circumstances. Both are back-row defensive players. Kari is a starter, and when Keli enters a game, she often replaces her sister.
Like Holly, Keli wants more playing time. The Myers sisters continue to work together while trying to improve their games.
"When I don't play, I don't take it out on her," said Keli. "She makes me feel more confident about myself."
Liberty coach Helen Derwin said both sets of sisters definitely affect each other. She said each roots for the other and strives for improvement.
Derwin said it's also easy to see that Emily and Kari are older sisters, and that they look out for younger siblings, even if it's not their own.
For example, Derwin told the Lions (10-2) to change partners one day in practice. The Halls often practice as a team, just like the Myerses.
This day, though, the elder Hall immediately selected the younger Myers. And Kari Myers, naturally, picked Holly Hall.
"You can tell the big sister is the big sister," said Derwin. "They'll never let their little sister be left out."
That's why all of the sisters admit that next year may be difficult at times. By then, the elder sisters will be gone while the younger ones remain in high school. The partnerships will be broken.
Both the older and younger siblings said that looms as a strange time, one they're not really anticipating with much joy.
For now, a state championship is everyone's goal, though. Regardless of playing time, each sister wants to see the Lions go one step further than last year, when they fell to Mount Hebron in the state finals.
And they all agree that a state title would mean so much more with their sisters by their sides.
"It would be like we conquered something together," said Kari.