They couldn’t handle serves. They struggled to score points. They looked helpless on defense and were dismissed by Round Rock McNeil 25-8, 25-16, 25-12 in less than an hour.

Senior setter Myca San Miguel said the Lady Tigers were feeling “nerves” from the start. This year that timidness, she said, is all gone.

“We’re not really intimidated because we know we can compete with the first-place teams,” said San Miguel, who had nine assists in last year’s loss and leads the team with nearly six per game this year.

Added senior Becca Owen who led Belton with seven kills and nine digs against McNeil: “I felt like we played so young last year. This year we have more experience and I feel like we’re going to play a lot more confident.”

The Lady Tigers (20-13) meet Mesquite (22-9-1) at 6 tonight in Class 5A bi-district playoff action.

The winner advances to meet either Carrollton Creekview or Garland Sachse in the area round.

Belton, which finished tied for second in District 12 with Bryan and Copperas Cove but enters the playoffs as the fourth-place team after losing a coin flip, has shown that it’s an improved team this season.

During last year’s third-place finish in seven-team District 13, the Lady Tigers were overmatched by Bryan and College Station A&M Consolidated twice for their only league losses.

While this year’s team was swept by No. 24 Consol again, Belton held its own with Bryan and newly-added Cove, splitting its matches with both teams to forge a second-place tie.

“This year is such a huge turnaround even from last year,” said Owen, who along with sophomore Grace Weaver averages 2.5 kills per game. “I just feel like we’re a lot closer and play a lot better than we have in the past years.”

But at times, the Lady Tigers have struggled with their confidence and intensity.

In its first meeting with Cove, Belton looked listless in the third and fourth games and first-year coach Justeen Patton began substituting her starters in search of a spark.

In the rematch, her players showed the heart it took to beat a top team, something Patton had been waiting to see all season.

“I do believe we have what it takes,” Patton said. “I’m confident in my team to go past this round. All they have to do now is show up and prove it to themselves.”

Confident, Patton also doesn’t want her players to put too much pressure on themselves, refusing to show them any game footage of the Lady Skeeters.

“I already told them everything they need to know,” she said. “I really truly believe that we are good enough to go beyond this round.”

Junior Hailey Rosebrock has played great defense and senior Kimesha Scott has played solidly in the middle.

Mesquite, the 11-5A champion, has won its district three consecutive seasons and has qualified for the playoffs four straight years. The Lady Skeeters had their 30-game district winning streak snapped by Mesquite Horn, a team Belton beat earlier in the season.

Middle blocker/hitter and 6-1 senior Courtney Manning, committed to Southern Methodist, leads the team with 4.9 kills and 0.88 blocks per game for the Lady Skeeters.

Senior 5-8 setter Joni Roland has 839 assists and averages 9.02 a game and senior 5-8 outside hitter Elizabeth Brimer is a big weapon.

Ariell Sanders, a 5-11 junior, joins Manning at middle blocker, 5-4 junior Daniella Rodarte is the libero and 5-4 senior Heather Price is the defensive specialist.

“We need to worry about them in the middle (Manning) and on the outside (Brimer),” Patton said.

If Belton does that, it will advance to the second round of the postseason for the first time since 2004.

Thanks to three-year varsity players Owen, San Miguel and Akins, the Lady Tigers’ program has been resurrected.

From 2000-2004, Belton recorded 20-win seasons four times and advanced to the playoffs each year.

In 2005, Belton finished 6-24, then 10-18 in 2006 before Owen, San Miguel and Akins became starters and helped post consecutive 20-win seasons and two straight playoff berths.

“I’m really proud,” Akins said of the turnaround. “I’m really glad that we’re changing Belton volleyball back to where it was.”