Faith Academy volleyball makes history with playoff win

CAPTION: Junior Natalie Weems is smart about how she owns the net by using a variety of shots including directional tips. Photo by Stennis Shotts

Going into the 2024 season, Faith Academy of Marble Falls volleyball head coach Erin Sawyer believed this year’s Lady Flames had the pieces to do some incredible things.

On Nov. 4, they proved her right thanks to beating Huntsville Alpha Omega 24-26, 25-22, 25-18, 25-18 in the Class 2A playoffs of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools.

“It’s the first match we’ve won in the playoffs,” Sawyer said. “We don’t have a lot of playoff experience. I have such confidence in the girls. I know they can do it and handle it, no problem. We are all on cloud nine. We’re so excited. The girls have been working so hard. I’m happy for them. I’m excited for the girls to finally get a ‘w’ in that column.”

After Faith lost the first set, Sawyer gathered her players for a pep talk to get them to refocus. She reminded them that all they needed to do was remain calm when the opponent scored, to have a short memory on errors, and to commit to playing as a team. Basically all the elements that got them to the playoffs, she said.

“We needed to play our game,” she said. “We weren’t playing our game. I told them we didn’t work this hard for us to go home. We were being reactive rather than proactive. They got fired up and won the next three.”

That meant making better passes to target, setting the right hitter to blockers, and owning the net.

“My backrow did great with the passes,” Sawyer said. “We were staying calm and doing what we always do, which is to play good fundamentals. Omega … has playoff experience. They lost to (Temple) Central Texas Christian last year. They have that experience we do not.”

Freshman Ella Claiborne served seven points in a row in the third set, “which was super helpful in going on those runs. It helped us separate,” the coach said.

Senior Jillian Martin served eight points that included three aces in the fourth set that set the tone. Senior Hadley Shipley and Claiborne “swung well,” while senior Abbye Blackington and junior Natalie Weems “were smart with tips.”

And most of all, the Lady Flames competed the way they had been for the most of the season.

“We played together and got everyone’s best effort,” Sawyer said. “I totally knew we could come back if we played together.”

Even when players came off the floor, those who stepped on kept the intensity level high. The coach said she doesn’t see much of a difference between her starters and the others.

“It doesn’t matter who’s in, everyone works flawlessly together,” she said. “They are good at chemistry, they love each other and play for each other.”

Faith will play the winner between CTC and San Antonio Lutheran with date, time and site still to be determined.