MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / October 19, 1998

DESTREHAN – Hahnville had been struggling all season once it fell behind in a game. So when the Lady Tigers trailed Destrehan 12-3 in the secondgame of their match Thursday afternoon, it appeared the teams were heading for a third game.

But this time, the Lady Cats adjusted and regained their composure, scoring 12 of the next 13 points to rally for a 15-0, 15-13 victory in the District 8-I opener for both teams.

Hahnville improved to 8-12 overall while Destrehan dropped to 5-15.

Records hardly mattered in the matchup of two St. Charles Parish schools.Both coaches realized going in it was going to be a close match.

“We knew whichever team that would be able to come out and attack the ball would win the game,” Hahnville coach Mendi LeBoeuf said.

Destrehan coach Calvin Ike said the fans definitely got their money’s worth.

“Going into the game, I knew it was going to be a good game and it was a good game,” Ike said.

It appeared to be a three-set game as the Lady Cats carried over the momentum from a late rally in the first game in the second game. AngeleChauvin punched a shot over and Susan Baudier delivered a kill to give the Lady Cats a 2-1 lead. After Allison Bourgeois broke the Lady Tigers’following serve with a kill, Kim Bierman dinked one over and Bourgeois followed with a kill and a block to increase the lead to 5-1.

The Lady Cats steadily added to that advantage, using a dink by Michelle LeRouge, an ace by Chauvin and a spike by Baudier to pull ahead to a 12-3 cushion.

Jackie Whitmer broke the Lady Cats’ serve with a kill. Colleen Lockhartstarted the Lady Tigers’ comeback with a kill and two Destrehan errors cut the deficit to 12-6.

After Destrehan went back up by seven on a Hahnville error, a kill by Liz Landry and an error by Destrehan brought the Lady Tigers to within 13-8.

After a timeout by Destrehan, Landry delivered a kill into the center of the court to trim the lead to four.

A kill by Landry broke the Lady Cats following serve and two serves later, Lockhart delivered consecutive aces to make it 13-11. Two lifts by theLady Cats two serves later tied the score at 13. Fallon Cancienne put theLady Tigers ahead with a block and the Lady Cats returned wide on the next point to give Hahnville the match.

“I am real proud of the kids coming back,” LeBoeuf said. “We have beenhaving a problem with that. They showed a lot of heart. I am proud of themfor keep pushing.

“When I called a timeout (with the score 10-3), I told them we have to play smart. We calmed down and started putting the ball in the court. I amproud of them for making the adjustment.”Ike said he thinks the team started playing conservatively after jumping out to the lead.

“Hahnville never stopped and we played it safe,” Ike said. “We felt readyfor the game but any time you get a team down that far, you have to put them away.”It was Hahnville that had to hold on late in the first game. After trailing3-0 to open the match, the Lady Tigers scored eight unanswered points.

Whitmer led the rally, delivering two kills and combining with Cancienne on a block.

After two service breaks, Whitmer delivered a cross-court kill into the right corner and Cancienne followed with a block and a kill to the back line to give the Lady Tigers an 8-3 lead.

Baudier killed a free ball at the net but Hahnville came back with a spike and an ace by Lockhart to go up by 11-4. The Lady Cats began their rallywith a spike by LeRouge. One serve later, LeRouge added two more dinksand Hahnville committed an error to cut the deficit to 12-9.

Both teams had defensive errors on the next two serves to make it 13-10.

Two serves later, Keanna Bethencourt delivered an ace and Landry blocked a shot for game point.

Lockhart had a game-high three aces. Whitmer delivered seven kills whileLandry provided top defense. For the Lady Cats, Baudier had an ace whileLeRouge had five kills. Bourgeois provided top defense.

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