Lady Bulldogs ready for the playoffs

The Lady Hornets are led by senior setter Kelsey Phillips, a 2007 Super Cen-Tex first-team honoree. Gatesville was a preseason top pick by the Texas Girls Coaches Association and finished the regular season tied with state-ranked China Spring for the league title with an identical 9-1 district record. The two squads split their regular series, but China Spring won the Nov. 1 match to determine the seeding. 

The Burnet-Gatesville match winner will get a bye in the area playoffs and advance to the Region 1 quarterfinal matches Nov. 10-11 to face the winner of the Wimberley-Decatur match. 

 The Lady Dawgs enter the playoffs with a Halloween night loss, 22-25, 25-23, 23-25, 22-25, to Fredericksburg at Canyon Lake that determined second- and third-place standings in District 8-3A.

“This was a good match played by both teams,” said Burnet coach Bethany Grissom. “All four games were very close and could have gone either way. When the game got close, it just seemed that things went for Fredericksburg and not us.” 

Grissom was pleased overall with her team’s play and excited that her players rediscovered their intensity.

“We played good volleyball and the girls showed that intensity that we had been lacking,” Grissom said. “I was looking for the fire in their eyes and I think they had it. I think it will help us leading into the playoffs. We are going to be playing a strong Gatesville team, and I think the girls are excited about this challenge. They are ready.”

Laura Servise led Burnet with 18 kills against Fredericksburg.  Mandi Lindley dished out 22 assists and had two blocks in a striking performance. Eden Sultemeir recorded two aces and Yudith Ortiz led the Lady Dawgs defensively with 19 digs.