Just like every volleyball player, the best thing they always hope for is to be facing rivals in the final and be fighting for victory for the team. Anna DeBeer was no different, but fate had other plans. The Louisville standout faced a heartbreaking twist when she was sidelined by an injury during the NCAA semifinal clash against Pitt. In the fourth set, DeBeer fell against Phekran Kong and fell to the ground with what seemed to be a twisted ankle. The Louisville native had to be helped off the court, her arms draped around two staffers as she carefully avoided putting weight on her right foot. She tried to shake it off, placing her foot on the ground momentarily, but ultimately limped off toward the locker room, tears streaming down her face.

In that moment, Anna DeBeer’s, finals hopes disappeared. What began with an appearance that looked like a slight stumble was a major blow leading to DeBeer’s absence as her team squared off against Penn State in the title game. Watching from the bench, unable to contribute, was a tough pill to swallow as Louisville fell short. But now, Anna DeBeer is turning her pain into heartfelt words, sharing an emotional note about what it meant to witness her team’s NCAA loss from the sidelines.

Anna DeBeer pens an emotional note

On December 23, Anna DeBeer hopped onto her Instagram stories to share a heartwarming post from NCAA Volleyball. The post featured a stunning montage of snapshots from the finals showdown between Penn State and Louisville, along with a few gems from the semifinals, all wrapped up with the caption, “#NCAAWVB Top Shots of the Week 🏐📸.”

However, there was one slide that touched her: a photograph of the Team Louisville during the anthem, hand in hand. Anna added her own sprinkle of emotion to the moment, captioning the story with, “no words for how much this team means to me🥹.” Honestly, it was the kind of heartfelt post that hits you right in the feels.

In the thrilling semifinal match, the Louisville Cardinals shocked the No.1 overall seed, Pitts 3-1 in an enthralling four setter 21-25, 25-23, 29-27, 25-17. Anna DeBeer was a monster on the court, scoring 14 kills and 3 blocks while giving it her all on the floor. Coach Dani Busboom Kelly summed it up perfectly: “Super proud and a really unbelievable performance against maybe the best team in the country.”

But here’s where the story takes an emotional turn. Sure, Anna missed the finals, but her absence cast a shadow so deep it was impossible to ignore. Even Coach Kelly, usually composed, couldn’t hold back her tears while talking about Anna.

Anna’s absence on the court makes the coach tear up!

After Louisville’s heartbreaking loss to Penn State in the finals, Coach Dani Busboom Kelly opened up about the elephant in the room—Anna DeBeer’s absence. Reflecting on the bittersweet reality, she shared, “I thought our team was really impressive. And I think it’s emotional when you have a player like Anna out, who—you know that, I mean, everybody in this building knows that outcome… it might not be different, but it would have been a different match, and she’s sacrificed a lot.” With a pause filled with emotion, she added, “To see this game taken away from her was really tough.”

Despite the sting of what might have been, Coach Kelly couldn’t help but celebrate the players who stepped into the spotlight and delivered. “It was an incredible performance by Charitie and Sofia,” she said, spotlighting their dazzling moments. She also gave a nod to Nayelis Cabello who stepped up: “We had Nay (Nayelis) running a 51 this week for really the first time all year. As a freshman, she really stepped up.” Her voice was full of pride for a team that showed hard work and determination that the spirit of the team was strong, irrespective of any odds.

On the court, Charitie Luper and Sofia Maldonado Diaz were simply spectacular and carried the team on their backs. Luper put on a superb display of firepower to lead the team with 21 kills and Maldonado Diaz also had a career night with 20 kills on a season-best 40 attacks. This did not end there. Sofia was also instrumental in defense with six digs and five blocks. At the same time, Nayelis Cabello served another ace on the fourth attempt for her team to maintain the mood. Combined together, they made adversities into inspirations for the Cardinals; true spirit and grit of the team.