Marble Falls volleyball shows plenty during scrimmages

CAPTION: Senior Tessie Bowen sets this ball to a hitter for a point against the Lady Flames at Faith Academy Aug. 9. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro

The Marble Falls High School volleyball team completed two grueling days of scrimmages Aug. 8-9 where they unveiled what they’ve been working on during two-a-days.

Against the Faith Academy of Marble Falls Lady Flames, the Lady Mustangs showed the base of new head coach Zoey Beard-Hanrahan’s offense that includes fake jumps all over the floor in an attempt to foul the defense and set up hitters to go one on one against blockers.

The offense illustrated two traits Beard-Hanrahan believes this team has – the ability to learn a complex offense and the personnel to execute it.

She noted the offense calls for her players to “look on the other side of the court” and make snap decisions on where to go with the ball.

“Quick and complex offenses is how you confuse blockers,” she said. “It’s going to be a puzzle.”

She said only 25 percent of her playbook is installed, hinting there’s more wrinkles. And she wants to see the Lady Mustangs get this first part — the base of the playbook — down cold before adding more options. And she is still looking for more consistency in several areas.

“I want them to get used to a quick pass to the setter and setters getting used to making those changes and making sure they understand where to run those plays,” the coach said.Welch made sure to distribute the ball to various hitters along the front and back rows, especially senior Kate McCary.

Few players enjoyed the match more than junior setter Hannah Welch. Welch made sure to distribute the ball to various hitters along the front and back rows, especially senior Kate McCary.

“I have a team this year that’s all very close,” Beard-Hanrahan said. “No big egos are on this team. You trust the person next to you to do their job. That’s why (Welch) looked so good.”

One rally illustrated plenty about these Lady Mustangs.

It had around 30 touches between the two teams where neither side was willing to give up the point. Though it included a free ball here and there, defensive specialists dived for spikes to get it high enough to setters to set up hitters.

The rally ended when the Lady Mustangs called for a fake jump only to have McCary just last and end the rally with a thunderous kill.

Beard-Hanrahan smiled when asked about that rally and rewound to a day earlier when Marble Falls faced Cedar Park High, Georgetown High and Round Rock Westwood in scrimmages. She noted her players “were challenged” and mentally picked up their level of play that resulted in seeing it on the floor.

“It was intense from the jump,” she said. “It was challenging. We had to fight to stay in games.”

She said that’s why her two-a-day training camp was so tough.

Overall she was pleased with how her players competed, pointing out that the outside hitters did their job even when the ball may not have been put high enough in a spot for them to get a clean hit. But that didn’t stop them from making contact.

“It shows me we have a team atmosphere and trust to get the job done,” she said.

Marble Falls welcomes Kyle Lehman at noon Monday, Aug. 11, in the season opener.

CAPTION: After senior libero Kenadi Dalton dives to keep the ball from touching the floor, junior setter Hannah Welch gets low to send this ball high enough for a teammate to hit it over the net and keep the rally going during the scrimmage against Faith Academy at the Lady Flames’ Fire Pit gymnasium. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro