Marble Falls volleyball finishes pre-district schedule

CAPTION: Marble Falls junior Brighton Bernard is one of several Lady Mustangs capable of ending a rally thanks to her power and court smarts. Staff photos by Jennifer Fierro

The Marble Falls High School volleyball team is taking a week off to celebrate homecoming and rest.

That’s the word from head coach Zoey Beard-Hanrahan said.

“While we still have plenty of work to do, the schedule will slow down a little and give our athletes an opportunity to get some much needed rest and recovery after an exciting and demanding preseason,” she said.

The Lady Mustangs enter the week with losses to Kerrville Tivy 12-25, 18-25, 15-25 Sept. 11 and Wimberley 14-25, 20-25, 12-25 Sept. 8. Wimberley is ranked No. 1 in the latest Class 4A poll of the Texas Girls Coaches Association.

“This week brought another major challenge as we faced two highly ranked programs,” Beard-Hanrahan said. “These matches were certainly a test, but challenges like these are exactly what help make us better. Competing against high-level teams exposes areas where we can improve, challenges our mental toughness, and prepares us for the competition ahead.”

Beard-Hanrahan noted how and why Tivy and Wimberley were scheduled.

“One thing I am especially proud of is the respect that other programs have for what Marble Falls volleyball is building,” she said. “Both of these programs reached out because they recognize the potential within our program and want strong competition as they prepare for their own seasons. That speaks volumes about the direction we are heading.”

She pointed out the Lady Mustangs made sure each point was earned throughout both matches.

“Our athletes continued to compete, fight and stay mentally tough throughout a challenging week, and I am incredibly proud of the effort shown across our entire program,” she said.

The junior varsity and freshmen played in their own Hill Country Takeover tournament Sept. 10 and 12. The freshmen finished third and the JV took second. The JV also finished eighth overall at the TexFest Tournament hosted by Wimberley Sept. 3 and 5.


The Lady Mustangs continuing to compete, fight and stay mentally tough will be especially important as they prepare for the “competition ahead” – the start of the District 25-4A campaign.

The opener is at home against Lampasas Tuesday, Sept. 22, and at Burnet Friday, Sept. 25, with the subvarsities starting at 5 p.m. and the varsity at 6 p.m.

Beard-Hanrahan noted that the Lady Mustangs will recuperate after a grueling schedule where they played every Tuesday and in three weekend tournaments since the season started Aug. 10.

“We cannot lose our focus though,” she said. “We still need to continue working hard in practice and preparing ourselves for what is ahead. The preseason has challenged us, tested us and helped us grow. Now it is time to take everything we have learned and prepare for the next chapter of our season.”

CAPTION: Junior outside hitter Brenna Wilde (4) and senior athlete Katie Terrell team up to form a wall, something the two do often.