By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

RESERVE — It wasn’t the fast start Riverside coach Kristy Hebert was looking for, but her Rebels got cranked up soon enough — and how.

Riverside bounced back from a opening game loss to post a 22-25, 25-6, 25-17, 25-17 victory at home over Ascension Catholic.

“I was disappointed in our start,” said Riverside coach Kristy Hebert. “You could see it in warm-ups, they didn’t look ready, and it showed in the first match. But I’m obviously happy with the way we responded.”

Shea LaFountain led the Rebels with 18 kills. Toni Hebert had 17 assists and five aces.

Riverside (9-1) fell behind early in the first game, at one point trailing 22-11 after kills by Elaine Pearce and Chelsea Roudeze. But Riverside made a major push, kickstarted by a kill by Kristy Milioto, then her ace. Riverside scored 12 of the next 14 points, including three kills by Shea LaFountain, but couldn’t overcome the deficit.

But the Rebels carried the momentum of their late surge all the way through the second game of the day, posting one of their most dominant efforts of the season. Toni Hebert led off with three aces in the first four points, and a pair of Milioto blocks made it 5-0. After the Bulldogs broke Hebert’s serve, Kelsi Roussel stepped up to serve and RA rattled off eight straight points to make it 13-1. At one point, LaFountain scored four of five points to make it 19-4. The Rebels closed it out to know the match at a game each.

“We really picked it up once the momentum built,” said LaFountain. “We were encouraging each other, ‘Come on guys, let’s go, we’ve got to get going.’ Once we focused, we really started playing.”

Ascension Catholic (4-6) regrouped in the third game and led much of the way. A kill by Anna Lassere and a tip by Jeanne Zeringue helped push a Bulldogs’ lead to 14-11, but Riverside surged into a lead it wouldn’t relinquish, scoring eight straight points with Milioto serving to make it 19-14. Jenna Roussel scored two of the last three points, including a game-ending kill, to put RA ahead 2-1.

With the Rebels leading 13-8 in the fourth and final game, Riverside took off, scoring seven of the next nine points to take control for good.

Milioto kill make it 24-16, and after one final Bulldogs’ score, a return error sealed the deal.

Shelby Deslatte led all defenders with 30 digs. Kristy Milioto had 20 and added eight kills. Taylor Terrio had 13 assists.

Coach Hebert was pleased with a win over a quality team, but said that she looks for a better start next time out.

“Ten games in, there’s no reason to start like we did,” she said. “In the second game, their intensity and attitude changed, and it carried over the rest of the way. It was good to see, but we need to maintain focus … it can’t just be a roller coaster ride. Play every play.”

REBELS TAKE FIRST LOSS, BUT REBOUND QUICKLY — Riverside went 2-1 at the Grace King tournament last weekend, then captured a win on Tuesday over host Pope John Paul II.

The Rebels opened up play at King Saturday with a win over John Ehret, 25-14, 25-18.

LaFountain led the way with eight kills. Toni Hebert had nine assists and five aces. Roussel had eight digs.

The Rebels continued to win with a 25-12, 25-10 decision over Academy of our Lady.

LaFountain finished with seven kills. Toni Hebert had six assists and six aces and Deslatte added 14 digs.

Riverside won the first game against De La Salle, but fell in a match for the first time all season, 25-23, 13-25, 10-15.

LaFountain had 10 kills. Taylor Terrio added 10 assists.

“We played well against Ehret, but the rest of the way I didn’t think we had the energy,” said Coach Hebert. “Then we ran into a quality team in De La Salle and we gave up too many points.”

Riverside rebounded against Pope John Paul on Tuesday, winning in three games, 25-10, 25-14, 29-27.

Milioto had 18 digs. LaFountain had 10 kills and Terrio had 10 assists.