MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / November 11, 2000

KENNER – For the second straight year, Reserve Christian saw its season end against White Castle in the state volleyball tournament in the Pontchartain Center Wednesday afternoon.

White Castle (28-8) defeated the Lady Eagles, 15-4, 15-12, to advance to the quarterfinals against Northlake Christian Thursday. Northlake defeatedthe Lady Bulldogs, 15-11, 15-12.

Reserve Christian finished its season at 10-9.

Both Reserve Christian and White Castle got off to slow start Wednesday. Atone time, the teams combined on six straight serving errors. The LadyBulldogs overcame the early jitters to take an 8-1 behind a block by Ebony Williams, two aces by Trina Stewart and six Reserve Christian errors. TheLady Eagles got an ace by Dunia Medina but White Castle came back with a kill by Arneisha Brisco that was deflected out for a 10-2 lead.

White Castle made it 14-2 on an ace by Brisco and kills by Dianna Gilbert and Sonya Davis. Reserve Christian pulled to within 14-4 on an ace by Medina butthe Lady Bulldogs broke two straight serves on kills by LaShandra Mosby and Williams. White Castle then got the game winner on a lift call against theLady Eagles.

White Castle took a 2-0 lead in the second game on a dink by Brisco. ReserveChristian tied the game behind a block by Amber Schlesinger and a White Castle error. The Lady Bulldogs regained the lead at 4-3 on a lift by the LadyEagles and a cross-court kill by Williams.

Reserve Christian answered with three straight points on its next serve.

Medina had an ace and had two more serves force Lady Bulldog errors for a 6-4 lead.

A kill by Brisco pulled White Castle to within one but the Lady Eagles came back with an ace by Schlesinger to make it 8-6. White Castle tied the gameat 8 on a lob by Gilbert. The lead would then see-saw with Reserve Christiangoing ahead, 10-9, on an ace by Medina.

White Castle took the lead for good on its next serve. A block by Davis and akill by Latasha Bunch made it 11-10. Davis then blocked a shot and followedit with a kill for a 12-10 lead. The Lady Eagles rallied to within 13-12 on a killthrough a block by Schlesinger and a Lady Bulldog error. But a kill by TrinaStewart ended the rally and got the serve back for White Castle. The LadyBulldogs then put the match away with a dink by Stewart and a lift call after on a kill by Davis.

Reserve Christian was making its third straight trip to the tournament but Lady Eagles coach Mike Marix said nerves still played a factor.

“We started out a bit figidly,” Marix said. “We looked like it was our firsttime here. We looked like we didn’t know what to expect but we should haveknown what to expect. It was a matter of too little, too late. You take awaythat first game and there’s no telling what would have happened. WhiteCastle is a real good team. They are very athletic and their athleticismshould take them far. But our girls never quit. They gave it all they got andthey can be proud of that.”Schlesinger led Reserve Christian with three kills and a block. Medina hadthree aces and Summer Vicknair three digs.

Williams had a match-high nine kills for White Castle. Nikki Williams had amatch-high 15 assists. Davis had four blocks with Brisco adding two digs.

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