Riverside gets first ever district title with four-match set at SCC

By JOHNNY PEPPO

Sports Editor

LAPLACE – Technically, it was a home game for St. Charles.

But Riverside’s volleyball team and fans seemed right at home celebrating their first ever volleyball district title in the LaPlace gym after the Lady Rebels clinched the fifth and final game of the evening over the Lady Comets.

&#8220My girls have worked very hard thus far and are so deserving of this District honor,” said Rebel head coach Toni Miano.

&#8220They have played with such heart and determination our entire season. They have given me everything I have asked of them and more;  from running an eight minute mile daily to strength training three times a week and four hour a day practices.”

It was standing room only for the Thursday match, where Riverside got off to a quick start.

It got rowdy in the gym for games three and four where clutch play at the net and tight scores put tension in the air.

In the third, Brooke Becker came up with back-to-back kills early to give SCC an 8-4 lead. Riverside’s Ashley Forestall broke the momentum from the server’s box with a pair of aces to help get it back to even. That swung both ways until St. Charles senior Gina Monica came up big on the defensive end with a dig and a good eye as the ball went long to make it 17-14 for SCC. Ashley Trosclair followed that up with more defense, catching two diving tips to keep the ball alive for the Lady Comet point.

But it was a run sparked by Heidi Garcich, who posted 18 kills and eight aces in the game, at the serve that pushed the Lady Rebels into 22-23 lead. Jessica Price put down a kill to give Riverside a game point and they took the eventual win on an SCC offensive error.

That made it 2-1 in the Rebels advantage for the fourth game where Riverside took an early lead. As Marci Millet led the charge with back-to-back kills, the Lady Rebs went up 9-6 before Meg Gustafson and Becker broke the momentum with a pair of spikes. Jessica Price and Garcich answered right back with two of their own and Millet added another to even things at 15-15.

St. Charles made a run for the win with Ashley Trosclair at the serve and Becker scored the final point with a kill that ended it 25-18.

Riverside entered this game after a sweep of the John Curtis Lady Patriots on Tuesday in an away game.

&#8220They have stepped it up all season battling injuries since August,” Coach Miano said. &#8220I am extremely fortunate to have such a great group of girls and I am very proud of them!”