CCHS falls in Division V semifinals

Ascension Episcopal simply proved to be too much for Central Catholic in their Division V semifinal match Friday, sweeping the Lady Eagles 3-0 (25-16, 25-15, 25-12).
Central Catholic Coach Latashia Wise said that she didn’t know about overall but at least on Friday, Ascension Episcopal was the better team.
“They played well,” Wise said of the Blue Gators, who eliminated Central Catholic from the postseason for the third straight season. “They served the ball extremely well. We’ve struggled with serve-receive all year, so I knew a team that (would) come out and serve the ball as tough as they did, it would give us trouble, and that’s exactly what they did.”
She said with the team’s struggles with serve-receive, Central Catholic couldn’t get the ball rolling to run their offense.
Ascension Episcopal fell Saturday in the state finals to Metairie Park Country Day, 3-1 (29-27, 20-25, 15-25, 16-25).
In game 1 of Friday’s semifinal, Central Catholic (28-12) kept things close for most of the set and trailed just 16-14 after a kill by Yani Johnson.
However, Ascension Episcopal went on a 9-2 run for the remainder of the set to pull out the 25-16 win.
The Blue Gators used three consecutive kills – one by No. 6 and two by Addie Vidrine to begin the run. Vidrine closed the set with an ace.
In game two, Ascension Episcopal jumped out to as much as a nine point lead on four different occasions, including an 18-9 advantage on a Central Catholic hitting error.
While the Lady Eagles cut their deficit to 21-14 on a kill by Sydney Williams, Ascension Episcopal scored four of the set’s next five points for a 25-15 win.
Central Catholic led 4-3 early in the third game, but Ascension Episcopal soon took control, jumping out to as much as a 13-point lead at 24-11 on a kill by Vidrine.
The Lady Eagles scored a point on the next play via a service error by the Blue Gators before Vidrine closed the match with a kill.
Vidrine led Ascension Episcopal with 11 kills, four aces and 19 digs, while Johnson led Central Catholic with eight kills and seven blocks.
Other top contributors for Central Catholic included Hallie Autin, five kills, two blocks and six digs; Katie Hoffpauir, 15 assists; Brooke Lipari, 15 digs; Quincee Wiggins, 10 digs; Caroline Green, two blocks; and Emma Aucoin, two aces.
Other top contributors for Ascension Episcopal included Hannah Mattke, 19 digs; Carolina Cordova, 14 assists; Katherine Broussard, 11 assists; Ashlee Sandridge, six kills; and Alaina Hardy, four aces.
For Central Catholic, Friday’s game was the last one for three seniors, Autin, Aucoin and Rebecca David.
“This senior class was one of the most quality senior classes that I’ve had in a while,” Wise said. “They’ve been with me for four years, and it’s nothing but good things I can say about those three girls, and they’re going to have bright futures. They worked hard. They gave everything they had, so I’m proud of them.”
With the bulk of her squad returning next year, Wise said she expects a return trip to the Pontchartrain Center.