San Marcos edged out by state-ranked Lake Travis, 3-2

Ever since moving into District 26-6A, San Marcos has had to adjust to playing teams at a higher level.

Many of the teams in the Austin area have been known to be powerhouses for years — including Lake Travis and Austin High — who are both ranked in the 6A top 25. The Lady Rattlers have had to modify not only their level of play, but their mentality as well. There have been crucial moments in recent matches where they got too nervous and ended up making uncharacteristic mistakes that led them to drop pivotal sets and, eventually, the game.

San Marcos visited the ranked Austin High Maroons on Sept. 21 where they were defeated in an intense match, 3-2 (27-29, 25-18, 25-22, 16-25, 9-15). They were up, 2-1, heading into the fourth set with all the momentum. However, the mental mistakes got the best of the Lady Rattlers, and Austin took the next two frames to close out the game. 

This trend continued on Friday night when San Marcos was defeated by Lake Travis, 3-2 (25-23, 14-25, 20-25, 27-25, 10-15), inside the Snake Pit. 

Head coach Jared Te’o talked about how his team needs to keep focused and continue playing at the same level throughout the entirety of the match. 

“It’s sustaining the level,” Te’o said. “When you play at a high level all year round like a lot of these other teams do, and some of our players do, it’s easy to sustain that level. I think some of our players who aren’t used to playing at that level lose focus here and there and against a phenomenal team like Lake Travis or Austin, you can’t take plays off.”

The Lady Rattlers (28-7, 3-2 district) started off the match on a high note. The crowd erupted as Lake Travis opened the set with a service error, followed by a kill from senior outside hitter Maggie Walsh. San Marcos continued with great energy, despite a 4-0 run by the Lady Cavs. It was close throughout the whole frame, but Lake Travis ended the first the same way they started it - with a service error. The hosts took an exciting first set, 25-23.

A kill by Walsh ended a 4-0 run by the Lady Cavs (30-10, 4-1 district) to begin the second set. It went back and forth and a point scored by senior outside hitter Joselyn Roberson tied it up at 7-7. The mental errors started to show on the court after this. Mistakes in the passing game ended up costing the Lady Rattlers multiple points and Lake Travis ended up closing the set on a 6-0 run to take it 14-25. The third frame was much of the same. The Lady Cavs had the force until San Marcos started to make a comeback towards the end, but the visitors still took it, 20-25. 

The Lady Rattlers started to turn it around during the fourth set and it showed that they weren’t done with this match just yet. Lake Travis started out the frame on a 3-0 run, but Walsh made three consecutive kills to tie it up, 3-3. Everyone in the Snake Pit was on the edge of their seats throughout the set, as San Marcos kept the lead until it was tied up at 21-21. It came down to the wire, but the hosts forced a fifth set from a wild kill by Roberson and they took the fourth, 27-25, in extra points. Walsh was on fire throughout this set, registering multiple kills to lead her team. Her leadership skills were shining as she was trying to encourage her teammates to finish the set strong.

“I love coaching (Walsh),” Te’o said. “I love the way she plays and I love the energy she has. She’s really grown into that role. Last year she came in really quiet and she learned to have a voice throughout the season last year. This year, it’s exactly what you try to model other players to get like … I don’t usually compliment her, but that’s probably the biggest compliment I can give.”

The Lady Rattlers couldn’t finish it off in the last set, but they played hard. Three players ended up with a double-double. Walsh ended up registering 29 kills and 17 digs, Roberson had 17 kills and 12 digs and junior setter Ruby Gordon logged 45 assists and 16 digs.

San Marcos is set to face the Del Valle Lady Cardinals on the road in their next district game on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Te’o hopes that his team can work on their mistakes and fix their mentality to keep pushing through a tough district.

“Del Valle’s taken some sets off of some really good teams this year. I just hope that we continue to build and work on the things that we need to work on. We can’t take plays off against Del Valle because that’s a good opportunity for us to really iron out some kinks and they’ve got a new coach who’s brought in a lot of fire to that team. I mean, we should go in there as the favorite, but we’ve got to work on the things we need to in order to win.”