Marble Falls volleyball takes 3rd in tourney silver bracket

CAPTION: The Marble Falls Lady Mustangs are all smiles after capturing the third-place trophy of the silver bracket of the Tournament by the Bay Aug. 20. The team includes Ava Carter (front row, left), Sadie Harris, Kenadi Dalton, Hope Todd; Karis Goebel (back row, left), Ashlynn Skero, Alexis Dalton, Kylie Roberts, Leah Nash, Jenna Greer, Kaley Smith, Emily Martin and Mia Trejo. Courtesy photo

The Marble Falls High School volleyball team was third in the silver bracket of the Tournament by the Bay Aug. 18 and 20. The tournament drew 24 teams.

“We went 3-3,” head coach Kait Goertz said. “At the end of a tournament to be playing for something is always a good feeling. When they saw that trophy on that table and they realized if the won it would be theirs, there was a switch that flipped in them. After they won, you could see the excitement on all of their faces. That’s the first volleyball trophy they’ve won in years.”

Marble Falls finished 1-2 pool play thanks to beating Bay City 2-0 and losing to Minerals Wells, which was the tournament runner-up, and Tyler Chapel Hill 0-2. The Lady Mustangs played all three matches back to back to back.

The Lady Mustangs arrived for their first match of the day Aug. 20 at 8 a.m. where they beat Palacios 2-0 and Orangefield 2-1 and lost to Taylor 0-2.

So much of what the Lady Mustangs did impressed their coach.

“We had a line-up change beyond our control,” Goertz said. “The girls came out; they had to fight and adapt. Girls were playing in positions they weren’t comfortable with. We couldn’t let ourselves get down when things didn’t go our way. We pushed through – that was the big thing. Confidence is part of it, especially when you’re in different positions.”

Because they didn’t play Aug. 19, the Lady Mustangs participated in team bonding events that included bowling and enjoying a burger bar buffet.

“We split into teams and made a competition out of it,” Goertz said.

The Lady Mustangs travel to play at Blanco Tuesday, Aug. 22. The freshmen play at 5 p.m., the junior varsity at 6 p.m. and the varsity at 7 p.m. The varsity will end the week at the Little River Academy Lady Bee Classic Thursday and Friday, Aug. 24 and 26.

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