Destrehan’s Ladycats lose in a playoff heartbreaker

Photo by Edward Ceaser

Despite winning the district championship, the 2008 season ended for Destrehan High School’s girls volleyball team after they fell to the Northshore’s Mandeville Skippers in the first round of the playoffs Monday night.

Mandeville, the No. 11 seed in Division 1, dominated the match to defeat the Wildcats 25-14, 25-16, 25-17. Destrehan was seeded at No. 22.

“We didn’t come out confident and we didn’t play confident,” said Destrehan Coach Denise Keller. “Mandeville is a good team and they came out swinging.”

Keller points out that what primarily killed the team’s ability to score was their inability to pass the ball.

“This match is going to leave a bad taste in the girls’ mouths, but they need to remember that this was just another match,” said Keller. “Our girls are mentally tough and we’re only graduating two seniors this year, so we’ll be more experienced next season.”

Senior middle blocker Daisha Smith and freshman Robin Sill only walked away with 6 kills each. Junior setter Alexis Keller completed 8 assists.

Keller says that despite the team’s big loss, the best defense was played by senior Teena Marchese who rounded out the match with 13 digs.

DHS defeated their toughest competitor, St. Amant, on Oct. 20 gaining first place in their district. As the District 4-I champion, the girls finish the season at 12-9.

The Skippers (28-10) will play the Chalmette-Sulphur winner Nov. 13 on the second day of the annual tournament at the Pontchartrain Center.