Marble Falls girls soccer player Macias commits

CAPTION: San Antonio Davenport kept eyes on Marble Falls senior captain Dulce Macias, ensuring the Lady Mustang couldn’t take over the match. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro

Marble Falls High School senior soccer player Dulce Macias has committed to Texas A&M-Texarkana.

Macias, who is a four-year letterman, showed throughout the season why she was the team’s best finisher.

“I think that’s pretty obvious with being the top goal scorer that we had for two straight years,” head coach Marisa Miller said. “She scores goals, she makes plays.”

Part of Macias’ success comes back to her mental demeanor, the coach said, and understanding the game clock.

“You have to have composure in front of the goal, especially in those high-intensity games,” she said. “She did a great job this year of keeping that for us, especially with those big games against (San Antonio) Davenport that she tied the game up for us (1-1 Feb. 6) and Fredericksberg (0-0 Feb. 10). It just takes a lot of grit to be able to be up there because sometimes it’s you versus three or four defenders and you have to be able to not only hold onto the ball and wait for your offense to get up, but also be a threat up there to take the defense away from other players. And she did a great job of holding onto the ball for us up there and not only scoring goals but assisting her teammates and really just being someone the other team had to look out for.”

There’s no overlooking Macias when she’s on the pitch. She knows how to use her body to shield and protect the ball, especially in front of the goal.

“There’s several times over the season that she was double and triple marked,” Miller said. “She’s definitely the one that they had to shut down. There were games where it was hard for her to get around, because she had so many of the other team on her, because she’s hard to mark. She’s strong. She’s not afraid to get in there. She’s an aggressive player.”

And her speed helped her get to the ball swiftly.

“She’s quick on her feet,” the coach said. “She can play the ball really well. She’s fast. If you give her any room, she’ll take off and potentially put the ball in the goal. When she turns it up, she goes. She’s definitely fast. “

Macias, who is planning on a career in the medical field, was named first team all-district for the second consecutive year featuring opponents that had extensive playoff runs.

District champion Wimberley won the Class 4A Division II state title but beat the Lady Mustangs 1-0 to begin district play Jan. 28 and 3-0 Feb. 20 to start the second round. Fischer Canyon Lake lost in the regional semifinals.

Davenport lost to Salado 2-1 in the Class 4A Division I state semifinals. New Braunfels Long Creek, which defeated Burnet, lost in the area round.

The Lady Mustangs played all of these district opponents close throughout the season. And Miller believes the district competition helped prepare Macias for what’s to come.

“You’re having to compete at the highest level every single game, and it only makes you play better,” she said. “You have to play faster, you have to be stronger. And if you’re going to get past these high-level defenses, it’s got to train you to be creative at the top. I think it does help, not only helping teams for playoffs when you have districts like this, but absolutely helps you for college because you’re playing a bunch of other athletes that are also going to college. So it’s good, I think, it’s a good starter to get you ready to have to play at that high competitive level.”

CAPTION: Marble Falls senior captain Dulce Macias was constantly around the ball and always drew a crowd especially from eventual Class 4A Division II state champion Wimberley. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro