MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / November 10, 1999

ST. JAMES – With a playoff spot on the line, Lutcher and E.D. White played amatch Saturday that may be as good as any that will be played in the Ponchartrain Center this week.

E.D. White out-lasted the Lady Bulldogs, capturing a 15-17, 10-15, 15-9victory, in the District 6-III second place playoff held at St. James HighSchool. The win advanced the Lady Cardinals (21-14 overall) to the StateFarm/LHSAA state volleyball tournament starting Wednesday in Kenner.

Lutcher finished the season at 17-11 overall. Both teams had finisheddistrict play with 3-3 records and had split the season series.

With Saturday’s match tied at a game apiece, Lutcher took a 3-1 lead on a dink by Candace Keller and a block by Kassie Waguespack. After a kill byJamie Cox made it a one-point game, Lutcher began to pull away with Breeze Vicknair serving. An ace by Vicknair and consecutive blocks byWaguespack built the lead to 7-2.

But after a timeout and two service breaks, E.D. White again pulled towithin one. Sarah Picou was the catalyst of the comeback, delivering ablock and two kills to make it 7-6. A serve later, two net violations by theLady Bulldogs and an ace by Leigh Ann Ritchie gave the Lady Cardinals a 9- 7 lead.

Lutcher got to within a point on a lift call against E.D. White, but the LadyCardinals came back two serves later with a kill by Ritchie to make it 11- 8. Lutcher closed to within two when Ritchie hit a spike into the net butshe came back to break the serve with a cross court kill. Dana Waguespackfollowed with an ace and Picou delivered a kill to make it 13-9. Kills byRitchie and Picou, her 14th of the game, gave the Lady Cardinals the win.

E.D. White had jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the first game behind kills byCox, Kristi Breaux and Carolyn Cavell and aces by Cavell and Waguespack.

After the Lady Cardinals pulled to a 12-3 lead on kills by Erin Blank and Breaux, Lutcher began to chip into the lead. A block by Waguespack and twoerrors by the Lady Cardinals made it 12-6.

Lutcher appeared to pull closer when Breaux hit a shot out but the Lady Bulldogs were called for a net violation. The Lady Cardinals then pulled towithin game point on two Lady Bulldog errors. Vicknair made it 14-7 withan ace but Julie Robichaux broke the serve and then delivered a kill for the game winner.

Lutcher bounced back in the second game, taking a 3-2 lead on a dink by Keller and a kill by Keondra Robertson. E.D. White rallied to take a 6-3 leadon a kill by Picou but Lutcher came right back, tying the score at 6 on two blocks by Robertson.

The lead would continue to see-saw with Lutcher surging ahead 9-7 on a Lady Cardinal error and a kill to the back corner by Toni Riley. After E.D.White tied the score at 10 on an ace by Amanda Ray, the teams would break each other’s serves until an error by the Lady Cardinals with Keller serving gave Lutcher a 11-10 lead. E.D. White called a timeout but the LadyBulldogs came out of the break with an ace by Keller. A dink byWaguespack and another ace by Keller tied the match at a game apiece.

“We let them get out front with our nerves,” Lutcher coach Denise Riley said. “Once we relaxed and played our game, we gave them a good fight.The girls battled to the end.”Saturday’s game was the final one for a number of Lutcher seniors who were freshmen when Riley came on board.

“These were my freshmen,” Riley said. “I hate to lose them. They were avery unselfish team.”

PLAYOFF BRACKETS ANNOUNCED – The Louisiana High School Athletic Association released the brackets this weekend for the State Farm/LHSAA state volleyball tournament beginning today at the Ponchartrain Center in Kenner.

In Division I, Hahnville, the District 9-I runner-up, plays District 13-I runner-up Higgins in bi-district at 9 a.m. today. The winner will play thewinner of the East Jefferson-Mandeville game in the regionals Thursday at 4:30 p.m.Destrehan, the District 9-I champion, plays District 8-I runner-up South Terrebonne today at 12:45 p.m. The winner will advance to play the winnerof the Fortier Bonnabel game in the regionals Thursday at 5:45 p.m.Quarterfinals begin at 2 p.m. Friday with the semifinals scheduled for 7p.m. The Division I championship match will be 7 p.m. Saturday.In Division IV, Riverside, the District 6-IV champion, plays Episcopal, the District 4-IV runner-up, today at 4:30 p.m. The winner will play District5-IV champion St. Thomas Aquinas, which received a bye in bi-district,the quarterfinals Friday at 10:15 a.m. The semifinals will be held at 5:45p.m. Friday with the championship game scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Saturday.St. Charles Catholic, the District 6-III champion, opens the Division IIIplayoffs Thursday at 12:45 p.m. against District I-III runner-up Iowa. Thewinner plays the winner of the Patterson-Landry match in the quarterfinals Friday at 12:45 p.m. The semifinals will be played that nightat 5:45 p.m. with the finals scheduled for Saturday at 4 p.m.Reserve Christian, the District 8-V runner-up, makes it second appearance in the state tournament against District 4-V champion Hosanna Thursday at 10:15 a.m. The winner advances to play either Dunham or White Castlein the quarterfinals Friday at 10:15 a.m. The semifinals are scheduled for3:15 Friday with the finals set for 1 p.m. Saturday.

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