Marble Falls volleyball begins challenging pre-district stretch

CAPTION: Vivian Buerger is new to Marble Falls High School. The middle blocker and right side hitter is originally from New York. Staff photos by Jennifer Fierro

The Marble Falls High School volleyball team begins the 2025 season Friday, Aug. 8, by traveling to Round Rock Westwood for 10 a.m. scrimmages against the Lady Warriors, Cedar Park and Georgetown high schools.

The next day, Marble Falls will go down RR 1431 to scrimmage at the Faith Academy Lady Flames with the subvarsities playing at 9 a.m. and the varsity at 11 a.m.

All of that is for the season opener against Kyle Lehman and Comfort in dual matches starting at 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 11.

Teams are playing in scrimmages one week after two-a-days started.

“It’s breakneck speed,” new Lady Mustangs head coach Zoey Beard-Hanrahan said. “It’s brutal. And we have to find out if they’re fighters.”

To comprehend the schedule the Lady Mustangs have in the next four days, consider this.

Comfort consistently qualifies for the Class 3A playoffs out of District 5-3A, which includes Blanco, Ingram Tom Moore and Llano.

Faith Academy advanced to the Class 3A state tournament of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools last season.

Marble Falls is more than familiar with Cedar Park and Georgetown High School after spending years with the two in District 25-5A.

Beard-Hanrahan makes no apologies for the gauntlet to begin the season.

“I do no believe in cupcake games,” she said. “It doesn’t prepare us for what we need.”

She understands the competition in District 24-4A, of which Marble Falls is a member, features teams that are typically state ranked. They include Burnet, Georgetown Gateway and Salado.

And the new coach also believes the program is on the verge of turning its fortunes thanks to a group of seniors who were on the squad a year ago when the Lady Mustangs needed to beat Jarrell twice to advance to the playoffs. But the Lady Cougars beat Marble Falls in back-to-back matches to take the final postseason berth.

That’s why the coach is doing all she can during the pre-district schedule to challenge the Lady Mustangs both physically and mentally before they open play against Burnet Sept. 9.

“I’m looking for them to come together as a team and make a statement about what this season will look like,” Beard-Hanrahan said.

Beard-Hanrahan, who was a middle blocker at Angelo State University, is looking for big things from that position.

She noted playing matches will help the players get into game shape. That’s been coming along, too, as Beard-Hanrahan called for running lines as the first drill the Lady Mustangs performed after stretching on Aug. 1 during the first practice of the season. That also helped her stress another important point, she said.

“You need to be at summer workouts if you can and if you can’t be, do something at home,” she said. “I need the girls who are fighters. A few want to play in college – that means something. The entire team has to perform.”

CAPTION: Adianna Dekay is another new student-athlete at Marble Falls, who is a defensive specialist. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro