Franklin swept Dobyns-Bennett 3-0 on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at Siegel High School in Murfreesboro, reaching the TSSAA Class AAA state semifinal after the program's first state tournament appearance since 2015.
The Lady Admirals won 25-16, 25-18, 25-23, according to Yahoo Sports state tournament brackets. Franklin controlled the first two sets and held off a tighter third to complete the sweep.
The quarterfinal victory extends a dominant run. Franklin entered the state tournament at 30-1 with a 23-game winning streak, according to the Tennessean. The team's only loss came in late August against Kentucky's No. 6-ranked St. Henry. The Admirals went a perfect 14-0 in District 10-AAA during the regular season.
Sixth-year coach MaKayla Beebe has built a roster loaded with college talent. The squad features four college recruits, including juniors Jorden Robinson (Wake Forest), Ellyson Fogle, and Emmy Garner (Auburn), along with senior Brynn Pennington (Wingate), according to the Tennessean.
"I feel like we never give up, even if we're down in a set … That's something special about this team – we always have a competitive drive," Fogle said after the Region 5-AAA championship win over Summit on Oct. 13, as reported by the Williamson Herald.
That competitive drive carried Franklin through a grueling postseason path. The Lady Admirals beat rival Summit in five sets four separate times this season, claiming both the District 10-AAA and Region 5-AAA titles in those battles, according to the Williamson Herald. Franklin then routed Green Hill 3-0 in the sectional round on Oct. 15 to punch its state tournament ticket.
The quarterfinal win marks the program's deepest run since 2015. Franklin has qualified for the state tournament six times but has never won a championship.
In the other Class AAA quarterfinals Tuesday, Arlington swept Bradley Central 3-0, Oakland swept Collierville 3-0, and Science Hill edged Summit 3-2.
Franklin faces Arlington in the semifinal Wednesday, Oct. 21, at Siegel High School. Oakland meets Science Hill in the other semifinal that morning. The Class AAA championship match is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 23, at Middle Tennessee State University.
