Burnet volleyball wins Bumblebee tourney
CAPTION: Burnet sophomore middle blocker Landry Schubert is at the height of her leap, while keeping her eyes on the ball and is ready to end the rally with a thunderous kill. Schubert’s strength at the net says plenty about the way the Lady Dawgs train and their mindsets when it comes to competition. Photo by Kaydence Burditt/In Color Photography
The Burnet High School volleyball team may have put together the finest week of non-district play in the program’s history.
It began with a five-set win against Johnson City Aug. 25 and ended with the Little River Academy Bumblebee Tournament championship Aug. 29. The week started with the Lady Dawgs at 10-10 on the season. Now they are on a 12-match winning streak.
All of that says plenty about these Lady Dawgs, according to head coach Crystal Shipley.
“Consistency has been the goal all week,” she said. “We have a daily practice goal, and that has been the priority. If we can be consistent in what we are already doing, we can begin to add new strategies.”
Winning a tournament isn’t easy and these players did it by capturing seven victories and dropping only one set. The Lady Dawgs defeated Belton 25-15, 25-21 to close out the tournament after beating Little River Academy 25-19, 25-11, district foe Jarrell 25-14, 25-18, Moody 25-7, 25-14, Yoe 22-25, 25-21, 25-19, Rockdale 25-11, 25-5, and Killeen Shoemaker 25-14, 25-22.
Throughout the tournament, Shipley said her players displayed the foundation of success – unselfishness, hard working and determination.
“It takes a lot of focus, unselfishness and heart to win any tournament,” she said. “It takes a team believing in what we do, sticking to it and executing it. I am very proud of this team and how hard they have worked this week to earn this.”
Sophomore setter Marisa Porter was named to the all-tournament team, the second time tournament coaches have selected for the honor this season.
What made the victory against Johnson City even more impressive was that the Lady Dawgs had to win the fourth set to force a fifth game against an opponent that had plenty of momentum, determination and unselfishness, too.
“The JC defense was incredible and got our Lady Dawgs frustrated,” the coach said. “When certain plays normally work and the Lady Eagles would keep the rally going, our girls let the frustration get the best of them and created many unforced errors.”
But when Burnet won the fourth set, the momentum shifted allowing the Lady Dawgs to prevail 21-25, 25-17, 21-25, 25-22, 15-7.
“The girls refocused in that fifth set and got over the frustration to win the long, hard rallies,” Shipley said. “Our Lady Dawgs continued to fight and pushed through when it mattered most. We are so proud of the way they competed and finished strong.”
Burnet welcomes Fredericksburg Tuesday, Sept. 1, with the subvarsities playing at 5 p.m. and the varsity to follow at 6 p.m. The program will conduct Middle School and Elementary Night where elementary students from all three Burnet Consolidated Independent School District campuses and middle school volleyball players can attend free of charge. The Lady Dawgs travel to Troy Friday, Sept. 4, with the varsity playing at 4:30 p.m. and the subvarsities at 5:30 p.m.
STATS
Kills – Peyton McCabe 78, Taylor Smith 67, Landry Schubert 58, Marisa Porter 24, Brooklynn Dawes 14, Brianne Hudgins 8, Kayleigh Briggs 3, Colbie Watson 1; assists – Porter 197, Dawes 16, Lexie Clark 13, T. Smith 6, McCabe 3, Ava Alexander 2, Schubert 2, Abby Bennight 1, Briggs 1, Hudgins 1; aces – Schubert 13, Dawes 10, Alexander 7, Clark 5, T. Smith 5, Brianne Smith 4, Porter 4, McCabe 2; blocks – Hudgins 11, Schubert 7, McCabe 5, T. Smith 5, Dawes 3, Porter 3; digs – Porter 53, Alexander 51, Dawes 51, Clark 38, T. Smith 35, McCabe 26, Schubert 21, Bennight 7, B. Smith 6, Hudgins 3, Watson 3, Briggs 1
