Staff Report
Ten total sets played across two tightly contested matches last week wasn't enough for the Hays volleyball team to pull away a much needed district victory.
A five set defeat Oct. 27 to the rival San Marcos Rattlers was then followed by another five set loss to the Bowie Bulldogs Oct. 30. The two losses marked the fourth and fifth times Hays fell in a match that went all five sets. It was also the second time this season Hays fell to Bowie and San Marcos in matches that went the distance.
Leading the way for Hays in its match against San Marcos was junior Joselyn Roberson who tallied 24 total kills. Hays senior Trista Strasser finished with 16 kills and sophomore Madi Disu and senior Taea Oglesby each had seven.
But Hays (6-9, 3-7) couldn't contain San Marcos junior hitter Maggie Walsh, who had 22 kills in the match. Costly errors also piled up for Hays as the team committed 31 hitting errors and 15 services miscues in the match.
San Marcos (9-4, 7-1) built a 2-0 match lead before Hays stormed back to win sets four and five, forcing a fifth and final frame.
However, the Rattlers claimed the match with a 15-13 set five win.
Hays fell into a 2-1 hole in its match against Bowie before fighting back into contention with a 28-26 set four victory.
Bowie did just enough in the final frame to win the fifth set 16-14.
Final set heartbreak is a continued trend for Hays; the fifth frame in each of their losses to Bowie and San Marcos was decided by a two-point margin.
Hays hosts Akins Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Bales Gym, followed by its home finale against Austin Nov. 10.
