FHS sweeps Mt. Carmel for trip to finals

Fontainebleau (35-6), the No. 5 seed, turned in an exceptional match Friday, downing the five-time state champion Mt. Carmel Cubs, 25-15, 32-30, 25-19, in the semifinals of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association Division I volleyball playoffs.

Fontainebleau was scheduled to meet St. Joseph Academy in Saturday’s Division I championship match. Complete coverage of that match will be in Wednesday’s St. Tammany News.

Mt. Carmel (31-5), the No. 1 seed and last year’s state runner-up, battled valiantly but didn’t have an answer for FHS senior outside hitter Lindsey Barron. She posted a match-high 21 kills to go with 10 digs. As she has done all season long, Barron produced clutch kills along with fellow senior Amanda Schneck, who finished with 12 kills in the semifinal match.

Junior Jessica Guttierrez pulled up 10 digs and delivered two blocks. Junior setter Michelle Cabeceiras netted 29 assists, while sophomore McCrea Barney tallied 18 assists and finished with four aces.

Barron, the quiet leader of the Lady Dawgs, praised her team’s outstanding performance.

“We played really well, and I am so proud of my team,” Barron said. “Mt. Carmel is the team you have to beat if you want to advance to win state. I’m glad we could come out and weren’t nervous. We kept saying we couldn’t get too excited.

FHS coach Danny Tullis, who also coached his club to a semifinal appearance last year against Mt. Carmel, said it was a good feeling advancing, but his goal has not been achieved yet (a state championship).

“My girls have worked so hard. They deserve it. They pushed, and it’s an incredible feeling,” Tullis said.

FHS played consistent ball in game one and never trailed. Lady Bulldog libero Caitlyn Auxilien was the serving star, totaling seven points. With FHS holding a 21-15 advantage, Auxilien closed out game one with four straight points, including two aces.

Game two proved to be a marathon outing with each club enforcing its will on the other in a closely contested match, which featured 21 ties before FHS gutted out an amazing 32-30 victory. It truly was a test of wills with the Lady Dawgs prevailing in the critical game two, which seemed to give Fontainebleau the edge in momentum. The biggest lead in game two by Fontainebleau was three points at 14-11. Numerous game points were averted as the clubs dug deep making critical plays in crucial situations to prolong the game.

Schneck positioned a key kill deep down the middle to force the final tie at 30-30.

Auxilien, cool as a cucumber, stepped in to serve. She made the most of her opportunity, serving two straight to close out game two for the Lady Dawgs. Barron registered a dink, and sophomore Taylor Anderson put the game away with a kill on a deflection.

FHS, beaming with confidence, took game three, 25-19. The Lady Bulldogs led 8-6 when Barney served three consecutive points, including an ace. Mt. Carmel senior Brittany Fields hit for two serves to make it 11-9. FHS’ Schneck pounded a kill and then contributed three straight points for a 15-9 lead, which the Cubs were unable to overcome.

Mt. Carmel senior Paige Gantar finished with 15 kills and seven blocks. Senior Emily Pepperman was credited with 30 digs.

Fontainebleau moved into the semifinals downing St. Thomas More, the No. 4 seed, Thursday, 25-16, 24-26, 27-25, 25-19, in a thrilling four-game match. It was the third meeting of the season, which was split going into Thursday’s match.

Barron sparked the Lady Dawgs with 21 kills and also contributed 16 digs. Guttierrez posted 10 kills and a team-high five blocks. Barney and Cabeceiras continued their consistent play, combining for 50 assists. Barney tailored 26, while Cabeceiras netted 24. Cabeceiras also served two aces. Auxilien lifted the FHS defense with 18 digs.

FHS used strong serving in game one, led by Guttierrez with six points. Barron totaled five kills and a block.

Guttierrez said she and her Lady Bulldogs teammates stayed mentally focused.

“We knew to win we had to have a good hitting game. Our setters did an outstanding job taking some average passes to make great sets for us to get the kills,” Guttierrez said.

Game two was tied 10 times with the final stalemate coming at 24-24. St. Thomas More (29-7) trailed 22-19 before Kate Bordelon served four straight points for a one-point lead. Anderson came up with a dunk and Guttierrez a kill to regain the lead.

STM’s Leanne Gilder, who tallied 16 kills, downed a shot to tie it at 24-all. Catherine Ishee slammed the door with two serves, with the final point coming on a Gilder kill to take game two, 26-24.

In game three, FHS’ Schneck ran off four straight points. The Lady Bulldogs led 16-14 when Cabeceiras rattled off three straight points. STM fought back to tie the game at 22-22. Later Barron knocked down a kill on an assist from Barney to make it 25-25. Guttierrez took care of the rest with straight points on a kill by Bonneval and an unforced error to take the closely contested game three, 27-25.

FHS never trailed in game four, although it was close at 7-6 when Auxilien served four consecutive points, including an ace. Holding a 21-18 advantage, Schneck had two points to put the game and match out of reach. The Lady Dawgs took game four, 25-19.

Schneck described St. Thomas More as a very good team.

“They were seeded just higher than us. Having played them before, we knew we would have to play our best. They are a very good defensive team,” Schneck said.

St. Thomas More’s Jennifer Diehl had 28 digs in the match.