Marble Falls volleyball sweeps Lehman
CAPTION: Delilah Guzman is at the height of her jump before she makes contact with the ball for a point. Photos by Stennis Shotts
The Marble Falls High School volleyball team defeated Kyle Lehman 25-18, 25-20, 25-22 Aug. 10 in the 2026 season opener.
That victory comes on the heels of what head coach Zoey Beard-Hanrahan called a successful weekend of scrimmages designed to get the Lady Mustangs prepared for a challenging start to the regular season.
Marble Falls played Round Rock Westwood, Georgetown High and defending Class 5A Division II state champion Cedar Park in scrimmages Aug. 7 before welcoming Faith Academy of Marble Falls Aug. 8. The Lady Flames advanced to a regional final of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools.
“We saw a lot of challenges,” Beard-Hanrahan said. “They’re still learning how to play together as a team because we have a bunch of new elements this year. Our returners, I’m happy we have them, but learning how to play together and figuring each other’s different tendencies and who can rely on her for what kind of balls – all those things we’re still working through. At Westwood and (against Faith) some of those points I saw really gives me a good idea what we need to emphasize in practice. So that’s what scrimmaging is for, just putting them in competitive situations where I can see them, what needs to be worked on.”
The challenges began early as Marble Falls faced the host school first Aug. 7 then the Timberwolves followed by the Lady Eagles, who are ranked No. 9 in the Class 5A poll of the Texas Girls Coaches Association, and Cedar Park, which is ranked No. 3 in the TGCA’s Class 6A poll.
While coaches always want to see how their players respond to lineup and position changes and rotations, Beard-Hanrahan is big on having the right mindset before stepping on the floor. That loosely translates to her players having self-confidence and a belief in each other that they can play with anyone.
“I just wanted to see that grit and that fight,” she said. “Last year, it was a good tournament to start with because I knew we what we would play in district. This year we still have Wimberley (Sept. 8) in preseason, so playing those elite teams like that — playing those teams that have players like that — they just make us better. It was me wanting to see who would step up, regardless of who’s across the net. That was really what (Westwood) was about.”
She was pleased to see the point totals and a confident group of Lady Mustangs committed to doing their best.
“We had lots of points this year,” the coach said. “I think that we have an extremely scrappy team, and then when it needs to be done, we have people who can set the tone. When we needed that point, they would give me that or when we needed a kill, a serve, whatever it was.”
The Lady Mustangs now turn their attention to Jason Landers Invitational hosted by the Austin Independent School District. They face Austin Bowie at 10 a.m., Austin LBJ at 1 p.m., and Austin Navarro at 2 p.m. all at Bowie High School Aug. 13.
CAPTION: Kaydence Bielfeldt serves an ace.
