By Moses Leos III
Twenty-five teams taking part in over 80 matches made up the 2014 Hays Rebel Bash at Hays High School over the weekend.
For the host Hays Lady Rebels, the ability to come through in the clutch led them to a fourth place finish.
“Our coach always tells us that we haven’t broken through the glass ceiling yet,” Lady Rebel senior hitter Shanon Park said. “We finally broke through it [this weekend].”
Hays kick-started its tournament by defeating Elgin, Pflugerville, Cedar Creek and La Vernia on the first day of play, winning all four games in two sets.
Lady Rebels head coach Stephanie Coates said the team’s ball control has improved, particularly over the last eight matches. She said that allows the team to maintain consistency on the court.
“The kids are grasping the defense now, so a lot of balls we were missing two weeks ago, we aren’t missing anymore,” she said.
Hays carried consistency into the Gold Bracket on Saturday by defeating San Antonio Lee in two sets, setting up an all-Hays County matchup between the Lady Rebels and the state ranked Wimberley Lady Texans.
Hays’ ability to finish allowed the Lady Rebels to pull off the 21-25, 25-23, 25-18 upset.
Wimberley gained the upper hand in the first set, holding off Hays in the latter moments to take a 1-0 match lead. Park said the team lost focus on the “tiny things,” leading to some issues.
The Lady Rebels responded in the second set. Utilizing defense and passing consistency, Hays claimed a 14-9 lead. Wimberley rallied back, guided by seniors Jaycee Smith and Emily Ferguson. The duo was instrumental in leading Wimberley on a 9-4 run to tie the score at 18 all.
Hays’ knack for coming up in the clutch allowed the team to outlast the Texans 7-5 down the stretch to force a third and decisive set. Crisp and precise passing allowed Hays to succeed against the Lady Texans. It also allowed the Lady Rebels to stay in system, facilitating their offense.
“Passing is always the main part,” Park said. “If you get a good pass, [senior setter Kathryn Wristen] can put the ball wherever she wants to. That helped a whole lot.”
Momentum carried over for the Rebels in set three. Hays took a 6-3 advantage, building it to 12-10. Wimberley mounted a comeback, with Ferguson easing a volley over the net to tie the score at 12. It stayed close, with both teams even at 18-18.
But Hays’ prowess in the clutch, along with Wimberley miscues, allowed them to close the match on a 6-0 run.
Coates lauded the play of sophomores Anise LaHue and Ashley Slovak, whom she’s swapped at libero and defensive specialist. LaHue came through with several critical digs, with Coates saying she did a “good job of reading.”
For Park, the dogged determination to keep the ball alive is the team’s mindset.
“That ball can be hit to Narnia and [we’ll] sprint after it and get it,” she said. “That’s what we work at.”
Hays continued to battle in their tournament semifinal match against Hendrickson. But the Lady Hawks were too much in a 19-25, 15-25 loss. Hays finished by falling in three sets to McNeil in the third place match.
For Coates, the team’s ability to step up against a stout Wimberley squad is a step forward.
“We have been in a lot of close matches, and we just down the stretch don’t finish it out,” Coates said. “They have believed in themselves as a team. They finished it out and I’m proud of it.”
