Dominican ends Tors’ perfect season

Rodrick Anderson

KENNER — No. 8 Sulphur tried to rekindle the magic that it used to rally past Acadiana last week in the regional round.

But the Tors ran out of time and No. 1 Dominican won 25-16, 25-26, 25-20 in the Division I quarterfinals Thursday at the state volleyball tournament at the Pontchartrain Center.

Facing elimination and down by 11 early in the third set, Sulphur rallied with an 11-3 run to pull within 23-20 on a kill by Erika Whittington. Cara Murphy had a hand in two key blocks during the run, but Dominican (29-2) closed out the match with a 3-1 run.

“We played fearless no matter what the score was in the third set,” Sulphur head coach Bridget Coppels said. “At one point they said, ‘What do we have to lose?’ and played hard and aggressive.

“We almost had them at the end there. They fought to the end, and I am very proud of them for that. Dominican is a good team. Was that our best game we played all year? No, but that is the best team we have played all year.

“For what we went through and everything, I am so incredibly proud of my kids for being here and ending our season here.”

The loss ended one of the best seasons in program history. Sulphur (15-1) went undefeated in the regular season and won its first district championship since 2003. Coppels said she sees a bright future.

“It was an awesome year for Sulphur volleyball, and it was an awesome year for this senior class through so much adversity,” Coppels said. “Through the pandemic and two hurricanes, we are ending our season in the Pontchartrain Center.

“As a coach, I couldn’t be more proud of them. I think this is the new standard, and there is no reason it shouldn’t be. When I took this job four years ago, I knew we had the potential, and I think this senior class left a huge legacy.”

Bridget Trahan led Sulphur with six kills, and Murphy finished with five. Abi Massey was credited with four kills and four digs, and Keelie Seaford ended the game with 15 assists.

“We were just aggressive in the beginning and hit the ball,” Coppels said. “We got down real big in the second set, and we really didn’t recover from that. The momentum got away from us, and volleyball is a game of momentum. We never could get it back.”Sulphur’s Bridget Trahan, left, and Bailey Chaisson try to stop Dominican’s O’Neil Haddad at the net Thursday in Kenner.

Rodrick Anderson

SportsPlus

Local News

Anderson blanks Sooners as LSU wins series opener

McNeese Sports

Copeland enters portal

Jim Gazzolo

Jim Gazzolo column: Untimely leak sinks win-win scenario

McNeese Sports

Cowgirls head to Lions’ den

McNeese Sports

Cowboys back in SLC play

Business

Global Meetings Industry Day highlights $30M impact tourism has in LC

Crime

4/3: Calcasieu Parish Sheriff announces arrest list

life

Oh, sister! LCLT spills the tea in comedy-drama ‘Crimes of the Heart’

Business

Dow drops 1,500 as US stock market leads a worldwide sell-off following Trump’s tariff shock

life

Riding the rails to the Louisiana Railroad Days Festival

Local News

Houston man killed in I-10 crash

McNeese Sports

Cole signs with McNeese

life

ROADWORK: Upcoming road closures across the region

Crime

4/2: Calcasieu Parish Sheriff announces arrest list

life

Summer, fall registration opens at McNeese on Monday

Local News

Louisiana state agencies hit hard by federal cuts

McNeese Sports

Patience pays off

Crime

Second arrest made in death of man found shot inside wrecked vehicle

Local News

Landry orders state hiring freeze, says will save Louisiana $20M annually

Local News

Arkansas decision likely means Louisiana’s age verification law is endangered

Local News

Sowela, Citadel Completions unite for aviation maintenance internship program

Jim Beam

Jim Beam column:Louisiana isn’t failure state

Crime

Jennings man gets 20 years for fatal shooting at convenience store

McNeese Sports

LSU scores late to rout McNeese