Sunday, April 28, 2024
After a 2-3 showing in their final tournament of the year, the Gatesville Volleyball team is kicking off a tough stretch-run before district play starts.
The Lady Hornets traveled to Lake Belton on Sept. 1. Next, they will face five familiar opponents over the next two weeks. A three-match homestand starts on Sept. 5 when they host Brownwood. Then, on Sept. 8, they host Georgetown Gateway in a playoff rematch from 2022. Gatesville topped Gateway in five sets to capture the bi-district title last fall.
Gatesville and Lampasas will then battle for the third time this season on Sept. 12. The Lady Hornets beat the Lady Badgers twice in the Gatesville Invitational. They wrap the non-district slate with a road trip to 4A No. 21 Burnet on Sept. 15. Then they host Marble Falls in the final game before district on Sept. 19.
The run up to the start of district could also serve as a bit of playoff prep, as Lampasas, Gateway, Marble Falls, and Burnet are all members of District 24-4A and would matchup with 23-4A teams in the first round of the playoffs. Burnet captured the 24-4A title last season and sits 13-7 through Aug. 30 this year.
Head coach Janey Weber admits that the stretch ahead will contribute to her team’s progress but doesn’t look beyond the team that’s next on the schedule.
“The next couple of weeks will be a good test for us. We approach games one at a time and focus on the task at hand,” she said.
In the Academy Tournament, the Lady Hornets dropped their first two matches before winning 2-of-3 on the final day of the tournament. They opened with losses to Live Oak and Thorndale to start the weekend, but they picked up two wins (Marble Falls and Chilton) against one loss (Rogers) on the final day of the tournament.
“Thursday was a slow start for us in the Academy tournament, but we kicked it into gear on Saturday,” Weber said. “Our communication and not be being as aggressive hurt us during pool play on Thursday.”
Weber – whose 2022 team faced a bumpy non-district schedule before jelling during district – isn’t anywhere near pressing a panic button. On the contrary, she sees things trending in the right direction.
“We are a young team, but these girls are working hard every day in practice. They are pushing themselves to overcome obstacles and doing what it takes to get where we need to be,” she said. “I really feel like our team is starting to come together. Everybody from upper to lower classmen are doing their part to make our team go.”
Gatesville will open district play on Sept. 22 at Robinson. Then they will host China Spring in the district home opener on Sept. 26.
