Marble Falls volleyball forces Jarrell to play better in district opener

CAPTION: Marble Falls senior setter Ava Carter has 600 sets and counting, which makes her the undisputed leader in that category in the program’s record books. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro

The Marble Falls High School volleyball team lost to Jarrell in three sets Sept. 22 to begin District 24-4A play.

The Lady Cougars looked to close out the match in a quick third-set win. But the Lady Mustangs had other ideas.

Down 21-23, Jarrell called a timeout but still trailed 23-24 when Marble Falls senior Emily Nash stepped behind the line to serve the ball. Jarrell handled the serve but couldn’t put the ball away. Instead, the Lady Mustangs dug the ball and passed it to senior setter Ava Carter. Carter set the back row, but the Lady Cougars dug the hit. The two teams went back and forth for the next two digs until the Marble Falls outside hitter hit the ball out of bounds. That allowed Jarrell to tie the set and eventually win 27-25.

“I think they had some confidence,” Marble Falls head coach Kait Goertz said of Jarrell. “At the end of the day, they knew the game plan and did a good job executing it. If we were slacking in our defensive positions, they took advantage. Anytime we were not fully locked in, they took advantage of it.”

Following the contest, the program honored Carter for reaching 600 assists while playing for the Lady Mustangs.

Carter was exiting the floor after the customary handshakes with the opponent when she was stopped by the coaching staff.

“She had no idea about tonight,” Goertz said. “She is the first Lady Mustang to ever reach that milestone. She makes smart decisions because of her IQ and knowledge behind that position.”

The coach commended the play of seniors Sadie Harris and Ashlyn Skero.

“Ashlyn had a great night,” she said. “She was a hot hand. She was right up there with Sadie. Sadie made an impact in the third set.”

Marble Falls welcomes Georgetown Gateway at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, at 6:30 p.m. The subvarsities play at 5:30 p.m.

“We wanted this game,” Goertz said. “We still have a lot of games ahead of us. (This loss) won’t determine our season.”

Watch videos on Highland Lakes sports by going to Fierro’s YouTube channel and searching for The Broad Podcaster. Please like, subscribe and share.