Wednesday could have been a day full of heavy hearts.

Only the night before, the Grapevine High School volleyball team's season ended after falling 2-3 to Flower Mound Marcus in the Quarterfinals. It was a tough loss after a great season of regular play.

But it was cheers, not tears, that marked Wednesday for the Lady Mustangs.

Instead of mourning the season's end, the team bonded together to celebrate as two of its seniors, Shannon DuLaney, an outside hitter, and Tanna Aljoe, a setter, participated in National Signing Day.

Teammates clapped in the GHS library as DuLaney and Aljoe committed to Cameron University and San Diego State University, respectively. Instead of their Mustang gear, the girls donned t-shirts sporting their future university's name. Proud parents and coaches posed, smiling, with DuLaney and Aljoe along with many of their now former teammates. The positive mental outlook was a testament to DuLaney, Aljoe and the other seniors' influence on the younger players. A statement posted on the Grapevine Volleyball website read:

"Thank you seniors, for not only setting a benchmark of accomplishment, but also creating a guideline for present and future Grapevine volleyball players to follow."

One of those accomplishments-that sense of team spirit that echoed throughout the library and halls of GHS as the girls rallied around and celebrated the successes of two of their own. And it was with happy hearts, not heavy, that the 2011 season ended for the Lady Mustangs.