Coach confident that volleyball team will learn from losses in nondistrict
By Thomas Jones, Westlake Picayune

Throughout this dynastic decade, the Chaps have used a brutal nondistrict schedule to steel themselves for the playoffs.

That schedule has delivered more than its usual share of lumps this season, but Coach Al Bennett remains confident that his youth-laden team can translate the losses into lessons.

“At least I hope so,” he said. “I really think we’ll be where we want to be by the end of the year. Some of our older kids are not at all pleased with how things have gone (during the nondistrict schedule). They see the big picture; they know what’s at stake.”

Those stakes include a continuation of a remarkable run. Since 2001, the Chaps have reached the state tournament five times and have won two state titles.

No nondistrict slate has proven as difficult to traverse during that span as this season, however. Westlake entered Tuesday’s final nondistrict game against Cedar Park with a 19-7 record, which equals the 2001 team for the most predistrict losses this decade. Also, this year’s team became the first Westlake squad this decade to not win any of the three tournaments – Duncanville, FrauleinFest and Pearland – that the Chaps traditionally compete in.

And don’t think Bennett hasn’t spent the past weeks trying to figure out why.

“Our offense has been pretty good, and our defense is pretty good,” he said. “But look at the stats. We can’t make as many service errors as we have been doing.”

Those service errors have plagued the Chaps since an opening five-game win over Round Rock Westwood. Westlake committed 67 service errors at the recent Pearland tournament, an average of almost five per game. You can’t beat good teams while tallying such a high number of miscues, said Bennett.

“We’re just creating too much of a mountain to climb,” he said.

Indeed, the Chaps committed 14 service errors in a three-game loss to defending state champion Amarillo at Pearland. In a match where the Chaps scored more points that the victors, Bennett cited the service errors as the reason for the loss.

Of course, the Chaps have done plenty right. They average 13.2 kills per game, a tally that measures up to Westlake’s best teams of this decade. Leading hitter Sara Shaw, the team’s only true jump server, averages almost two aces for every service error. A young team that includes 13 first-year varsity players should only get better with the extended playing time common to district play.
“We have some work to do, but these kids work hard and know what they need to improve on,” Bennett said. “Once we get some more consistency, especially in our service game, we should see some better results.

“At least I hope we do. I don’t need any more gray hairs.”

Chaps sweep aside Drip
Sara Shaw and Abby Howden combined for 30 kills as visiting Westlake defeated Dripping Springs 25-16, 25-23, 25-22 Friday. Howden also had eight total blocks, and Jennifer Schuler added nine kills.