SMHS VOLLEYBALL
The Rattlers bounced back to sweep the East Central Hornets 3-0 [2523, 25-17, 25-15] in the home game last Tuesday.
San Marcos improves to 15-16 overall and 3-6 in district, as the Rattlers playoff hopes are kept alive for another week.
“I thought they did a really good job,” Head Coach Megann Ollett said. “We got into a couple of lulls, but we were able to snap out of it and lock back in. Overall I’m just happy with the way we played tonight. It felt calm, cool, collected and under control.”
After being swept by Clemens last Friday, the Rattlers are now needing to win the majority, if not all, of their final four games in order to qualify for the playoffs.
With one victory already in the win column and upcoming games against Judson, Cibolo Steele and New Braunfels Canyon, sweeping East Central is exactly what senior outside hitter Brinkley Reeves said the Rattlers needed.
“We have to basically win out in order to make the playoffs,” Reeves said. “After losing to Clemens, even though we could have beat them, it was nice to come out here and get a clean sweep against East Central. Just taking care of business and getting back in a rhythm.”
The Rattlers jumped out on East Central, going on a 6-0 run after trailing 3-0 to lead 6-3. San Marcos was in control of the majority of the first set and looked to close it out up 20-14.
But the Hornets went on a 8-2 run to tie the game up at 22-22. After the two teams traded points to make it 2323, Ollett stressed to the team the importance of finishing out the first set and praised the play of middle blocker Melayna Perkins.
“It was really about going back in and finishing it,” Ollett said. “I thought Melayna [Perkins] stepped up huge in the first set and she got us those last few points to finish it out.”
In the huddle, the message for the players was to calm down and refocus in order to win the first set.
“We all need to take a deep breath,” senior setter Grace Pactanac said. “We didn’t need to do any crazy hits but just calm down, clear our minds and bodies.”
After being tied at 2323, the Rattlers took the lead back following an attacking error by the Hornets. Perkins added the final point with a kill for San Marcos to take the first set at 25-23.
In the second set, both San Marcos and East Central found themselves tied at 6-6. But the Rattlers went on a 5-1 run to take a 11-7 lead.
The Hornets were unable to take the lead again as San Marcos went on to win the second set at 25-17 to go up 2-0 on East Central.
San Marcos later cruised in the third set to win 2515 to complete the sweep and win 3-0 over the Hornets.
A key to the Rattlers success in both the second and third set was switching up the lineup on the court.
“We switched back to a lineup in the second and third set where we played with more enthusiasm,” Ollett said. “We had a lot more power in [the lineup].”
After almost dropping the first set, Reeves and the Rattlers knew they needed to finish strong against East Central.
“We are all upset that we almost blew that first set,” Reeves said. “Nobody wants to stay extra long for a game that you don’t need to stay extra long for. We put it upon ourselves to not let go of the game and take care of business. Everyone locked in, minimized our errors and played our game.”
But the win over East Central wasn’t the only thing worth celebrating for the Ratters.
Pactanac surpassed 1,500 assists in her career as a Rattler and was honored after the game for reaching that milestone.
“I just want to thank my team,” Pactanac said. “I wouldn’t have the assists without all the kills from Brinkley [Reeves], Kylie [Joseph] and everyone, even past [teammates] from the other years. It feels good.”
Ollett was also happy for her player with Pactanac facing several challenges in order to surpass 1,500 assists.
“I’m hugely proud of her,” Ollett said. “Especially since she was out half of last season and sat a little during her freshman and sophomore seasons. It’s been great to see her own that.”
Also announced later in the day was Reeves making her commitment to play Division I volleyball at Stephen F. Austin.
“It means a lot,” Reeves said. “It’s been very rewarding. The recruiting process has not been easy. Everyone on the team was super proud and supportive of it. I knew whatever decision I made, they were going to be there behind me. It is super rewarding after working club volleyball for eight years and school volleyball for four. It is just nice to know I have a set future.”
Having coached Reeves during her sophomore year till her senior year, Ollett is happy to see the senior Rattler be able to continue her volleyball career at the next level.
“I’m super proud of her,” Ollett said. “Ever since I met her, that has been her dream. I am happy that I was a part of it and watch her fulfill that ability. It was [a dream she has had] since her sophomore year. I couldn’t be more proud of her. Everything she has accomplished, how much she has poured into this team and just her trying to make herself the best volleyball player she can be.”
The Rattlers will be back on the road this Friday in a district showdown against the Converse Judson Rockets. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
cmcwilliams @sanmarcosrecord.com Twitter: @ColtonBMc
