Faith Academy volleyball on winning streak
CAPTION: Few defenses can handle the hits from sophomore Ella Claiborne, whose thunderous kills get her teammates and fans fired up. Photo by Stennis Shotts
The Faith Academy of Marble Falls volleyball team has won four matches in the row with three in District 4-3A of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools.
The Lady Flames swept Austin San Juan Diego 25-9, 25-15, 25-13 Sept. 25 and Austin Royals Homeschool 25-8, 25-9, 25-17 Sept. 23 in non-district play after sweeping Waco Live Oak Sept. 18 and San Antonio Lutheran Sept. 16.
Head coach Erin Sawyer offered insight on why the Lady Flames (19-6, 3-1) are performing well.
“It’s gaining more confidence,” she said. “But it’s also finding the groove of how we are working together and how to push our limits and what we can do as a team.”
It also helps, she added, to have athletes who bring their best every day match.
Sophomore Ella Claiborne had 17 kills, 3 digs, 3 receptions on serve-receive and an assist against San Juan Diego. Against the Royals, she had 10 kills, 4 digs, 4 receptions and an assist. She is seven kills shy of 500, which Sawyer believes the hitter will get during the home match against San Antonio Keystone at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30. The junior varsity plays at 5 p.m..
“Ella Claiborne is always a good one,” Sawyer said. “She’s a wonderful outside hitter who always gets the team going and gets them pumped up with her kills.”
Junior Kerrington Silvers recorded 10 kills, 2 digs and 4 receptions against San Juan Diego and 9 kills, 4 digs and 2 receptions against the Royals.
Junior defensive specialist Ava Beltran has played well, the coach said.
“Ava Beltran has been doing a wonderful job in the back row as well,” she said.
And it doesn’t hurt to have players ready to contribute when the chance comes. She credits sophomore middle blocker Elizabeth Neely, who was moved up from the junior varsity, for giving the Lady Flames some depth. Neely had 3 aces and a block against San Juan Diego.
“We’ve had Elizabeth Neely step up and fill in that role, and I think she’s doing a good job as well,” the coach said. “Just very impressed with the girls that need to fill in. I just love the way our team works together.”
Sawyer has been doing best to create depth throughout the program so that when players are subbing out, there’s not a drop-off that opens the door for opponents. And she explains her version of depth.
“I’ve tried to work our program so that we can build off of each other, and we do have more depth than just one or two people as we used to or have prior,” she said. “However, I always push for my girls to be court smart and for my back row to tell my hitters, ‘Hey lines open or the middle’s open’ or wherever as we’re working to hit. So we’re working on that IQ.”
As the program welcomes Keystone, the Lady Flames will honor Malaya Hammond, a former Faith Academy student and volleyball player who died during the Fourth of July floods at Cow Creek. Hammond and her family were traveling during the early morning hours when their van was swept away. She opened her door to allow her parents and younger siblings to escape to safety. A strong current, however, washed Malaya away. She was found July 7.
“We are going to be wearing bright colors and just give some love to her memory and her family,” Sawyer said.
CAPTION: Junior defensive specialist Ava Beltran has been a force on the back row. Against Austin San Juan Diego, she had seven receptions and three digs and against Austin Royals she had five digs and four receptions. Photo Stennis Shotts
