By RYAN ARENA
L’Observateur

LAPLACE — As St. Charles Catholic readies to begin district play, the Comets gathered some momentum Thursday via a three-game sweep over Bonnabel, 25-18, 25-14, 25-20.
Kaitlyn Lowry came up with a match-high seven kills. Brooke Tregre had 18 assists. Alyssa Arceneaux  added 15 digs and Alexis Tran served three aces.
The win was a needed one for the Comets (3-7), which lost their seventh straight match Tuesday against St. John-Plaquemine (25-18, 25-11 and 25-16). SCC won its first two matches of the season but fell into a slump thereafter.
Comets coach Kristin Sullivan said that the keeping focus has been an issue throughout the season for an SCC team playing with a mostly new set of starters from the 2012 team.
“Against St. John, we weren’t ready to play mentally. We’re a young team trying to figure out how to keep ourselves and our play up throughout an entire match,” she said. “I thought (against Bonnabel) that we did a better job of not only getting a lead, but continuing to push after that and staying on top.”
The victory propels St. Charles into a tough week of competition. A stern challenge  against perennial Division II contender De La Salle is set for the Comets’ home floor Tuesday. On Wednesday, SCC travels to face a formidable Division I foe in Terrebonne.
Those matches are to prepare SCC for District 4-IV play, which begins Thursday at St. James. The Comets and Wildcats will have state contenders Riverside and John Curtis to deal with in district play, as well as Haynes.
“We’ve got some tough games ahead of us,” said Sullivan. “That could be a good thing. We tend to play up to our competition. As long as we’re playing to our ability, I feel like we’ll be seeing what we need to see.”
Sullivan said that a number of players are rounding into form. Tregre has grown into her role as setter, while Arceneaux has been a steady force defensively, an area where the Comets have remained strong this season.
The team could also be buoyed by the return of senior hitter Erin Tuircuit, who is set to take the court after suffering a foot injury earlier this year.
“She was cleared last week,” said Sullivan. “We’re really glad to have her back.”