After a couple of emotional games last week against long-time rivals E.D. White and Notre Dame, in which her team split with wins against the Lady Cardinals and a tough straight set loss to Notre Dame, Catholic High coach Jessica Frederick needed her team to get a little confidence back headed into the final two weeks of the regular season.

After Tuesday’s match, Catholic High’s confidence returned a little as the Lady Panthers swept West St. Mary 25-11, 25-9, 25-11 to even its Division IV, District 1 record at 1-1 and improved overall to 16-6 with one game left in the first round of district play against Iota.

“We definitely needed some confidence,” said Frederick. “But at the same time, I’m trying to look at different people in different places as we try to figure out where we best fit together as a team.”

The loss to Notre Dame in the district opener last week put the Lady Panthers at the bottom of the district standings. Tuesday’s win moves the team back to .500 in district with the end of the first round set for today as CHS plays host to Iota.

“Sometimes a game like this is good because it allows us to move people around, let the younger kids get some experience and the older kids can get some confidence,” said Frederick.

It didn’t take long to get that confidence back as Catholic High jumped out to big leads in the first and second games against the Lady Wolfpack.

And even in the third game, when WSM actually had the lead twice in the early stages, the Lady Panthers roared back and finished off the Lady Wolfpack.

“We really didn’t play our best game today,” said WSM (9-15, 0-2) coach Ashley Clark. “We’ve been playing well all season but we just didn’t come out and play well today.”

Taylor Lahasky led CHS with 10 kills, four aces and 13 digs. Katelyn Freyou added six kills and ace; Melissa Pesson had five kills, seven digs and three aces; Sydney Lahasky had three kills, six aces and eight digs; Sydney Babineaux had 26 assists; Madeleine Vines and Vaterra Calais each had two kills; and Chelsie Schales had three kills and four aces.

Frederick is using the final couple of weeks to fine tune the team for another playoff run.

“It’s a matter of playing together as a team and making sure that they’re confident in each other and trusting each other on the court,” said the CHS coach, who added that her team has had its share of communication issues this year but is working them out as the playoffs approach.

Gentrall Wells had an ace, Myla Dapremont had two kills, Sequoya Ferguson had a kill and Launa Metz had three assists for WSM, which plays host to Notre Dame Thursday.ꆱ