After a spirited Destrehan team captured the first set, Hahnville turned the tables on the way to a 23-25, 25-22, 25-21,25-20 victory over the host Wildcats in District 6-I action.
It was a pivotal win for the Tigers, and not just due to the rivalry between the teams. It set Hahnville up to clinch an undefeated district championship with a win over H.L. Bourgeois – and that victory indeed came Tuesday, 25-18, 25-12, 25-8 at Hahnville. The Tigers secured their fifth consecutive district championship with the win.
Nonetheless, Hahnville vs. Destrehan routinely brings the best out of both teams, and it did once again in last week’s clash. All four games were back and forth battles.
Hahnville’s Maci Hollingsworth led the match in kills with 17, adding six digs. Alania Thompson made five kills. Abigail Hotard made 12 digs, while Madyn Romero made 17 digs to lead the Tigers (16-17, 5-0) defensively. Sophia Hotard added 11 digs. Romero and Abigail Hotard each served four aces.
“We started a little bit slow tonight but we picked it back up,” said Hollingsworth. “I think after we fell behind we understood we’re much better than how we were playing, and that motivation just helped us … we have everything that we need, we just need to apply ourselves.”
Destrehan (14-13, 2-2) led the first set 19-13. Hahnville stormed back to cut the lead to 19-18. Destrehan’s Jacee Pate slammed a kill that turned the tide back in Destrehan’s favor, Three consecutive aces by Evelyn Skena helped push the lead to 24-20. HHS cut the lead to one, but Pate made a block to win the set for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats led 17-13 in the second set before Hollingsworth began to assert herself. The senior outside hitter made two kills and served an ace to help power a run that tied the set at 22. Hahnville reeled off the next three points to tie the match at 1 set each.
The third set saw Hahnville get out to the faster start and while the Tigers didn’t pull away, they led throughout. A Pate ace pulled Destrehan within three at 21-18, and her kill kept DHS in striking distance, as did another kill from Keviana White. But Abigail Hotard and Marih Myles each made kills for the Tigers to help put the set away, with HHS taking a 2-1 lead in the match.
The fourth set played out similarly early on, with the Tigers jumping out to a 6-2 lead. Destrehan rallied. Pate served an ace to pull her team within one at 11-10. She made a kill and a block that helped propel the Wildcats to their first lead of the set at 17-16. Hahnville made their own rally back for the lead. A well-set up play saw Thompson slam down a kill to give Hahnville a 23-20 lead, and the Tigers closed it out from there.
“Hahnville’s good and they’re coached very well,” said Jody Martin, who was in his first Battle on the River as Destrehan’s head volleyball coach. “At times, we just fell short in the energy department. And that can be a confidence thing. When games get tight, you play tight, and once you get a good point you’re back up.
“It’s just small things we have to clean up, but my seniors have done a really good job laying a foundation for what will be a really good program in the future.”
For Hollingsworth, this was the final match against Destrehan for the senior, barring a postseason meeting. She and her fellow seniors have gone a perfect 4-for-4 in the rivalry.
“That was very exciting. We’d won the last three years, and with this being the last one (for her) in the rivalry – we’ve won the past three years and you just really want to come out and get the fourth one,” Hollingsworth said.
