MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / February 16, 2000

DESTREHAN – Destrehan goalie Ashley Nelson may have come out of the Lady Cats’ Division I playoff game against Dominican Friday night bruised. But shedid not come out of it beaten.

Nelson stopped 13 shots and Kara Roussel scored the eventual game winner 18 minutes into the second half as Destrehan defeated Dominican, 4-2.

It was the first ever playoff victory for Destrehan (20-6-1), the District 10-I champions, and advanced the Lady Cats to the regional round against Mandeville Tuesday. Mandeville defeated Woodlawn (B.R.), 8-0, Thursday.Dominican finished its season at 13-7-2.

Dominican had tied the game at 2 at the 14-minute mark of the second half as Dana Bertuccini knocked in a deflection off a penalty kick by Jessica Gregus. Dominican looked to go ahead two minutes later as Bertuccini took apass from Gregus and tapped a shot in front but Nelson was there to dive on the ball.

Two minutes later, Esther Garatie grabbed a steal and passed to Pelyr Ordoyne in the right corner. Ordoyne lofted a shot over goalie Katie Rosmanin front of the net where Roussel was there to knock it in, giving the Lady Cats a 3-2 lead.

Nelson made the lead stand up, deflecting a shot by Marci McNally, then knocking away the rebound attempt by Sarah Brennan in front of the net.

Natalie Robert followed by deflecting away a kick by Brennan. Four minuteslater, Nelson deflected away a penalty kick by Gregus from the right corner.

Katie Logan gave the Lady Cats an insurance goal by knocking in a deflection off a goal kick, making it 4-2 at the 33-minute mark. Nelson kept the lead attwo by deflecting away a kick from the left side by Brennan at the 38-minute mark.

“I wanted it to keep coming,” Nelson, showing off a bubble on her knee, said.

“I hadn’t gotten much action this year. I was really ready for it.”For Destrehan coach Jennifer Acosta, Nelson was the MVP of the game along with midfielder Jessica Ladreyt. But she said the victory was also a credit tothe hard work the team out in over the past five months.

“This was great,” Acosta said. “They have worked so hard. They deservedthis so much. We have been working for five months and this is the payoff.”Ladreyt got the Lady Cats on the scoreboard five minutes into the game by taking a throw in and lofting a shot over Rosman. Brennan tied the game atthe 18-minute mark, taking a pass from Gregus and angling a shot into the right corner of the net.

Destrehan went back on top at the 23-minute mark of the half as a corner kick by Ladreyt got past Rosman. Ordoyne took the kick in front and tappedit in, making it 2-1. Nelson kept the Lady Cats in the lead by deflecting awaya shot by Brennan a minute later.

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