| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dripping Springs (36-3, 6-1) | 22 | 15 | 26 | 19 | 1 |
| Lake Travis (34-4, 7-0) | 25 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 3 |
By Michael Adams
michael@otssports.com
LAKEWAY – Lake Travis took advantage of 35 errors and handed the defending Class 6A state champions their third loss of the season. Notably, the Cavaliers (34-4, 7-0 District 26-5A) account for two of those losses.
Lake Travis defeated Dripping Springs 3-1 (25-22, 25-15, 24-26, 25-19) Tuesday at Cavalier Gymnasium at Lake Travis High School. The win put Lake Travis in sole possession of first place in the district.
“We had a really good game plan that we knew where Henley (Anderson) was at all times and utilized our weapons,” said Brandace Boren, who is in her 9th season as head coach of Lake Travis. “I felt like we served aggressively, and we played the way we are capable of playing. Tonight was a good night for us.”
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Anderson, a 6-foot-2 sophomore, led the Tigers with 19 kills. However, Lake Travis kept Dripping Springs’ star outside hitter at bay for most of the match.
The Cavaliers won a back and forth first set 25-22 behind the offense of seniors Avery Hamlin and Camden Besecker. Hamlin had 21 kills while Besecker added 15.
Dripping Springs (36-3, 6-1) never held a lead in the second set and trailed by as much as 10 points. Anderson got a kill to pull the Tigers within seven points, but Hamlin responded on the next point to give the Cavaliers a 21-13 lead. Lake Travis finished off the set on a 4-2 run to take a 2-0 lead and threaten a sweep.
“You have to give it to Lake Travis, they came out and outworked us in every facet of the game,” said Dripping Springs coach Michael Kane. “The reality is we got neutralized with bad passing and miscues, and that leads to negative hitting. We got towed on the block all night long and we must get better at that.”
The Tigers led most of the third set and 21-19 down the stretch after a pair of kills by Riley Certain and Ashley Euston. Lake Travis, however, went on a 4-1 run to take a 23-22 lead after a kill by Hamlin.
The Cavaliers reached match point after a Dripping Springs service error. However, the Tigers responded with three straight points to avoid the sweep.
“When you’re playing (Lake Travis), it’s a rivalry,” Kane said. “There’s a lot of great kids on the court, you’re going to get into a war. It’s very frustrating for me as a coach, because not only did we not show up again, but we also got out worked.”
The Cavaliers jumped out to an 8-3 lead to open the fourth set and never trailed. Dripping Springs got to within a point, with the score 19-18 late. However, Lake Travis closed out the set and the match with a 6-1 run.
Boren said picking up the win in the first match of a three-match gambit against District 25-5A’s elite, including Westlake on Friday and Austin High next Tuesday, was crucial.
“I feel like every school has one week that’s going to be hard,” she said. “I like that we are in this stretch against good teams back-to-back to back because that’s going to be the same situation in the playoffs.”
The Cavaliers take on Westlake Friday at Cavalier Gym, while Dripping Springs faces off against Bowie at home.