LAKE TRAVIS VIEW

Another match, another sweep as unbeaten Lake Travis tops Austin High

Colby Gordon
American-Statesman Correspondent
Lake Travis libero Mackenzie Cude passes the ball against Austin High as Abby Teel looks on Oct. 27 at Lake Travis High School. Lake Travis won the match over Austin High in straight sets to remain unbeaten.

LAKEWAY Lake Travis continues to prove it’s the best team in Central Texas.

The Cavs, undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the Statesman’s Class 6A area poll, dominated at times during a 25-14, 25-22, 25-19 sweep of a playoff-contending Austin High Oct. 27 at Lake Travis High School.

Though Lake Travis didn’t officially clinch the District 26-6A title with the win, it might start clearing room in the school’s trophy case. It’s now three games ahead of the Maroons and two ahead of Westlake. Although another match with the Chaps awaits down the road at some point, it would take a shocking loss somewhere for the Cavs not to at least share the district crown.

With the way Lake Travis played against Austin High, that’s hard to see happening.

“Our kids rose to the occasion,” Lake Travis coach Brandace Boren said. “We knew Austin High would be great and test us with their blocking. They have some powerhouse hitters, and we respected them, and we came in ready to compete. I couldn’t be more proud of our kids.”

The Cavs (12-0, 8-0 District 26-6A), who have only dropped one set all season, jumped out to big leads in the first and third sets while holding off a Maroons rally late in the second.

Jamison Wheeler knocked down 13 shots, and Arden Besecker and Campbell Cook combined for 15 kills to lead the Lake Travis hitting attack.

“Lake Travis did a very good shot of varying their shots,” said Austin High coach Kiley Woods, whose team entered the week No. 3 in the Statesman’s Class 6A area poll. “Wheeler kind of just toyed with us all night as she was hitting lines and hitting across the court.”

Though Wheeler paced the Cavs’ offense, she gave credit to setter Kiana Reed and her 32 assists for making everything run smoothly.

“It’s all because of Kiana,” she said. “Without her, we couldn’t be as good of a hitting team as we are. She creates so many splits, and it allows us to hit well because she tricks the defense. Both (Cook and Liliana Mechura) hit well and blocked well, and Sydney Bopp played well on the right side, too.”

Multiple kills from Besecker, Mechura and Wheeler helped Lake Travis to open the match on a 12-5 run. Three shots from Cook pushed the Cavs lead to 21-10 a short time later before Lake Travis eventually closed out the first set.

The Cavs led 21-14 late in the second, but Austin High rallied to within 23-22 on the hitting of Brooke Jeffrey and Samantha Unbehagen. However, Lake Travis won the next two points, then stormed out to a 17-7 lead in the third and eventually finished off the match.

“One of our goals coming in was to serve aggressively and take them out of their transition game, and I thought we were successful doing that,” Boren said.

Woods agreed.

“They did a really good job of getting us out of system all night,” she said. “If we can get back to playing in-system and running our middles, everything else opens up.”

Austin High (12-3, 6-3), which had a six-match winning streak snapped, will now focus on closing out the rest of the regular season with wins, hoping for another Westlake loss and trying to clinch the district’s No. 2 seed in the playoffs.

“We want to continue to get better and trust each other, and we want to work on our hitting as well,” said Woods, before adding: “We’re looking forward to playing them again in the playoffs.”

For that to happen, it would likely take place in the regional final. And while Lake Travis would certainly like to play in the regional final, for now it’s relishing the moment of being undefeated.

“I’ve really enjoyed this season because for a while, we really didn’t know if we were going to have one,” said Cavs defensive specialist Mackenzie Cude, who served three aces and made 18 digs. “Just the fact we’ve come out super-strong and gone undefeated so far, it’s been pretty awesome.”

Austin High defender Samanta Unbehagen snags a low serve from Lake Travis in the third and final set of a district matchup Oct. 27 at Lake Travis High School. Lake Travis won the match over Austin High in straight sets to remain unbeaten.