Lauren Burke and the Hays volleyball team rallied from a poor start in the Fraulein Volleyfest to advance to the Copper Bracket finals, where the Lady Rebs lost to Austin High. (Photo by Jason Gordon)
by JASON GORDON
After a rough first day at the Fraulein Volleyfest in New Braunfels, the Hays High volleyball team rallied to finish runner-up in the Copper Bracket.
The Lady Rebels won four of their final six matches Friday and Saturday in the 40-team tournament.
“I thought we played great those last two days,” Hays head coach Erica Walther said. “We improved throughout the tournament, and that’s what you want to see this time of year.”
Friday, Hays started off the day with a loss to Pflugerville High, but rallied to beat Canyon 22-25, 25-22, 25-18.
Kaylea Beck led Hays with 17 kills and 15 digs, and Sydney Paradeaux added 15 kills and five service aces. Dezaray Garner totaled 12 digs for Hays defensively.
The Lady Rebs followed that victory with a two-game sweep of Mansfield Summit, 25-13, 25-18.
Paradeaux pounded down nine kills and Beck added five in the win, while Courtney Rogers had 16 assists.
On Saturday, Hays easily got by San Antonio Warren 25-12, 25-12, a team they lost to the previous week in the Northside ISD Tournament.
“We were proud of the way we were able to bounce back and beat Warren,” Walther said. “The girls were very focused Friday and Saturday.”
The Lady Rebels carried that momentum Saturday into their match with Calallen in the Copper Bracket semifinals in a 25-21, 25-22 victory.
Paradeaux had 13 kills, Beck totaled eight kills and 13 digs, Rogers had 23 assists, and Emily Clark added four blocks in the win.
“The match against Calallen was the best we’ve looked all season,” Walther said. “They were a tough team, but we managed to stay together and win the difficult points when we needed them most.”
Hays battled Austin High in the Copper Bracket title game, but fell 25-17, 26-24.
“It seems like with every practice and every game we continue to grow stronger and grow together as a team,” Clark said.
Hays next plays a dual match against Regents and St. Andrew’s at Bales Gym Friday night. The Lady Rebs will take on Regents at 5 p.m., and will face St. Andrew’s at 7:30 p.m.
Hays will host the Rebel Bash volleyball tournament Sept. 1 and Sept. 3.
