MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / November 11, 2000

KENNER – Riverside threw a scare into third-ranked Westminster Christian in the Division IV bi-district playoffs Wednesday afternoon in the state volleyball tournament in the Pontchartrain Center but in the end it came down to the Lady Crusaders having too much offense and the Lady Rebels not enough.

Westminster advanced to the quarterfinals Thursday with a 15-9, 15-7 victory. The Lady Crusaders (19-13) lost to five-time defending statechampion Newman, 15-7, 15-6. Riverside ended its season at 12-13.Riverside hung tough in both games behind two of its usual characteristics – tenacious defense and solid serving. The Lady Rebels, who had a servingpercentage of over 97 percent in the regular season, made just one serving error in the two games. But the Lady Crusaders, behind the blocking ofAshley Sledge and Lena Davis, held a Riverside team that had averaged over 30 kills a game to just nine.

“We didn’t have any offense,” Riverside coach Toni Miano said. “It’s been aproblem all season and it was again today. Westminster is an excellent teambut I don’t think they beat us. I think we beat ourselves. I think nerves playeda part. We need to be able to have an offense and be able to put the balldown and we don’t have that.”Westminster opened the match by breaking four straight serves by the Lady Rebels with kills without the Rebels being able to return the ball. But the LadyRebels hung tough behind their defense, breaking Westminster’s first two serves. The Lady Crusaders were able to move out to a 3-1 lead behind ablock by Angela Crane.

Riverside came right back. A kill by Amy Hymel and three Westminstererrors gave the Lady Rebels a 5-3 lead. Westminster answered two serveslater, regaining the advantage at 7-5 on an ace by Elli Dupre and a dink by Kathryn Crane.

Heidi Richard delivered a kill through a block to bring the Lady Rebels to within one. But a block by Davis a serve later extended the Lady Crusaders’lead back to 10-6. Riverside again rallied, making it 10-8 on two Westminstererrors.

Westminster began to pull away on its next serve as kills by Davis and Sledge made it 12-8. A kill to the back line by Sledge and a block by Davis broughtthe Lady Crusaders to game point. Riverside again hung tough with two digsby Jessica Watts but Dupre set up a kill by Davis for the game winner.

Riverside jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second game behind three Westminster errors. The Lady Crusaders pulled to within one on an ace bySledge and a dink by Davis but Riverside came back with a dink by Cassie St.

Amant to make it 4-2.

Westminster took the lead for good on its next serve. Davis and AngelaCrane combined on a block to make it 4-3, then Davis tied the game at 4 by combining on a block with Kathryn Crane. Three Riverside errors gave theLady Crusaders a 7-4 lead. Jennifer Keating answered with an ace but twoserves later, the lead increased to 14-5 behind a dink by Dupre, two kills by Sledge and an ace by Emily Miller.

Riverside held off the match point and scored twice on its next serve on two Westminster errors. But the Lady Crusaders got the serve back on a kill bySledge and Christie Comeaux had her serve returned wide for the winner.

Sledge led the Lady Crusaders with 12 kills, three blocks, two digs and an ace. Dupre had a team-high 11 assists. Riverside was led by Richard with five kills. St. Amant had a game-high eightdigs and Chelsea Albares led with three blocks. Kelly Louque had a game-high18 assists.

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