Nine days from their District 12-5A-opening clash with rival Temple, the Lady Tigers still aren’t where they’d like to be, but they’re getting close.
“Confidence level, I believe so, yes,” senior setter Myca San Miguel said after Belton ripped Waco 25-10, 25-12, 25-13 on Tuesday night at Tiger Gym in its final non-district tuneup before it hosts the Tem-Cats at 6:30 p.m. next Friday.
“But I think we’re there. We have it; we just need one more little step. After this week of practice, we’ll be ready.”
Added Belton first-year coach Justeen Patton: “They’re very talented, but as for other things that come along with it, we have a lot of work to do as far as discipline and our will to win and our focus level. So volleyball-wise, yes, but confidence-wise we could be more confident.
“I do think playing in the (Justin and San Marcos) tournaments we played in, our confidence has grown from the beginning of the season."
It certainly showed Tuesday night.
The Lady Tigers (11-8) didn’t trail in the match and thoroughly dominated the Lady Lions. Excluding Belton errors, Waco (2-7) scored six points.
With Belton leading 10-7 in the first game, senior Kimesha Scott had a kill, sophomore Grace Weaver added two and senior Becca Owen had another as the Lady Tigers jumped out to a 20-8 lead.
Senior Tilatha Akins added a kill on a San Miguel assist and sophomore Brooke Kiella served an ace for the Game 1 win.
Game 2 wasn’t close, either. Owen didn’t play the final two games and San Miguel and Akins eventually joined her on the bench, giving reserves such as junior Chelsea Lomprey and sophomores Brook Malcik and Amber Peters varsity action.
Peters had two kills and San Miguel returned to add a kill as Belton completed the sweep in the third game.
Despite the easy victory, however, the Lady Tigers showed plenty of weaknesses.
Belton had 12 service errors, including eight of the Lady Lions’ first 14 points.
“It’s all focus and unforced errors,” Patton said. “We need to take care of our game first.”
San Miguel led Belton with 22 assists and added two kills, Weaver had seven kills, Peters had six and Hailey Rosebrock and Akins added five apiece.
During the next week of practice, the Lady Tigers hope to correct their poor serving, work on their X’s and O’s and, according to Patton, work on their discipline.
“It comes along with reps, reps, reps and the right mindset,” she said. “We just need to execute.”
cmeister@temple-telegram.com
