VSN / GeauxPreps Volleyball Power 25 Poll – After Week 5
by: VSN Staff // GeauxPreps.com Partner
As the Louisiana high school volleyball season hit the month of October, there were some big wins involving ranked teams that has caused some movement in the top ten, but more so in positions 11-25 as this week’s VSN/GeauxPreps Volleyball Power 25 is released.
For a third consecutive week St. Thomas More is a unanimous selection as the No.1 team, but after Slidell went 7-0 during the week including four Power 25 wins, the Tigers have moved into the No.2 position.
“I thought we had a great week,” said Slidell coach Danny Tullis. “Obviously the win over Dominican was a big one. Then we got a home win against Pearl River Thursday and five very solid wins at the Covenant Christian tournament. I’m very excited about the recognition from the VSN committee with the jump to No.2, but in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t mean anything if we don’t keep working and find a way to achieve our goal.”
After suffering its worst loss of the season last Monday at Hannan, Mt. Carmel rebounded with a pair of wins including a sweep over St. Joe’s and check in this week at No.3.
Hannan, who went 4-0 including their commanding 3-0 win over MCA stays at No.4.
Country Day handed Hanyes its first loss of the season with a 3-0 sweep on Wednesday and also remains at their same position at No.5.
Westminster Christian Academy (Opelousas) continues to gain ground after ranked wins over Teurlings Catholic and Dutchtown are now ranked 13th.
Like Slidell, Lafayette Christian also had a 7-0 week and jumped four spots into No.14.
St. Michael registered another quality win beating U-High and moves up four positions to the No.16 position.
After a 6-2 week the defending Division IV State Champs Norhtlake Christian is back in the poll this week at No.25.
Over half of the VSN/GeauxPreps voting panel (which consists of media members and coaches) were in attendance this weekend at the Covenant Christian Lady Lion Classic in Houma and were able to see six Power 25 teams in person.
1. STM (18-0, 17-0 vs LA, 3-0 week )…Three 3-0 sweeps vs Cecilia, No.13 EDW, and Ascension Episcopal. The Cougars have not lost a set since September 12th when they beat LCA 3-1. They’ve only lost three sets (beat WCA-Opelousas 3-2 in season opener).
Coach’s Comments: “Our biggest focus at this point is to get better as individual players, and as a team, every day that we have the opportunity to play or to train. Win or lose moving forward, our focus is to be better than we were yesterday and take nothing for granted.
This team is special, from the starters to the players right on their tails pushing them to be better, and we are very fortunate to have the talent and chemistry that we do.Another fun test coming up this weekend at the Hannan tournament!” Jes Burke
2. Slidell (25-1, 7-0 week)… Beat No.7 Dominican 3-1 and beat Pearl River 3-0…then went 5-0 at CCA Lady Lion Classic winning all in straight sets 2-0…beat No.17 Dutchtown and EA on Friday…then beat No.12 Ben Franklin, No.14 WCA, and Notre Dame on Saturday.
Coach’s Comments: “We have a ton of work to do on our consistency especially in second sets. We are letting up in almost every second set we play and that builds bad habits. We need to develop the mentality that every point matters. If we focus on the narrow goal of winning every point by doing everything in our power physically, mentally and emotionally instead of the broad goal of just trying to win the match then the by product of the narrowed focus will be the win the majority of the time. That being said I want my girls to be excited and stop and smell the roses so to speak, because they have achieved a No. 1 power ranking for the first time in their history. I don’t mind them celebrating the achievement momentarily, as long as they understand the work that is still ahead in all the 3 phases I mentioned earlier.” Danny Tullis
3. Mt. Carmel (22-5 overall, 18-4 vs LA, 2-1 week)… Swept by No.4 Hannan 3-0 (25-19, 31-29, 25-13) to even that season series at 2-2…followed up worst loss of the season by sweeping No.21 SJA and Bonnabel
4. Hannan (18-6 overall, 13-5 vs LA, 4-0 week)…Beat Loranger 3-0 then swept No.2 MCA 3-0 (25-19, 31-29, 25-13) to even that season series…Also 3-0 wins vs Fontainebleau and Dunham
5. Country Day (15-7 overall, 11-4 vs LA, 2-0 week)…Started with 3-0 win vs Lycee Francois then swept No.6 Haynes (25-20, 25-19, 25-20)
6. Parkview Baptist (14-4 overall, 13-3 vs LA, 2-0 week)…Started with 3-0 win vs West Feleciana, then beat No.21 SJA 3-0 in the rubber match of that season series (25-9, 25-17, 25-22)
7. Haynes (12-2, 4-2 week)…Beat Douglas 3-0 then were dealt their first loss of the season on Wednesday losing 3-0 to No.5 Country Day (25-9, 25-17, 25-22)…Beat Belle Chasse 3-0, then went 2-1 Saturday at CCA Tourney beating No.14 WCA 2-0 and NLC, then losing 2-0 to No.18 LCA 2-0
8. Dominican (15-6 overall, 14-6 vs LA, 2-1 week)…Started off with a 3-1 loss at No.3 Slidell…then had 3-0 wins vs West Jeff and No.13 EDW
9. Vandebilt (16-2, 2-0 week)…Beat Central Lafourche 3-0, beat St. Amant 3-0…Terriers have won nine straight and 15 of their last 16.
10. Ben Franklin (14-3, 5-1 week) Beat ESJ 3-0, then went 4-1 at CCA Tourney…beat No.24 Sam Houston and Lutcher 2-0 on Friday…then lost to No.3 Slidell and beat Ascension Catholic and St. Amant
11. Hahnville (14-3, 1-1 week)…Beat No.10 John Curtis 3-2 (25-15, 25-9, 19-25, 15-25, 15-11)…then lost to Lakeshore 3-1 (23-25, 25-16, 23-25, 23-25)
12. John Curtis (18-5, 5-2 week)…Started with 3-2 loss to No.11 Hahnville…beat Terrebonne 3-0 then went 4-1 in their own tourney…beat Dunham, Terrebonne, HLB, and Ponchatoula…lost to Dunham
13. Westminster (Opelousas) (19-5, 3-0 week)…Beat No.16 Teurlings Catholic 3-0 and also 3-0 wins vs Opelousas Catholic and Northside Christian…then went 3-2 at CCA Tourney…Beat Sulphur and Chapelle on Friday, lost 2-0 to both No.6 Haynes and No.3 Slidell then beat No.17 Dutchtown 2-1 (21-25, 25-23, 16-14)
Coach’s Comments: “I was proud of how our girls really kept their composure against Teurlings and competed for every point. After a long week of play, I felt the girls were ready on Friday and it showed in their play. Even after two tough losses on Saturday against great teams and being a little banged up, they played through that adversity and really held each other together to come up with the win against a good Dutchtown team!!
“Our three seniors in Anna, Bethany and Kristian have been our rock and great leaders this year, even when we are down they are consistently helping out the younger players and getting the job done themselves. No one would have known that our lone junior, Laila Gauthier, played with a broken finger and still had an outstanding weekend.” Keith Leon
14. Lafayette Christian (25-3, 7-0 week)…Beat Rayne and Sulphur 3-0 to start the week…then went 5-0 at CCA Tourney…Beat No.6 Haynes, NLC, EA, Destrehan, and Ascension Catholic. Moved up four spots this week
Coach’s Comments: “I think we are finally getting healthy and playing some good ball. We had an outside with a knee issue, a setter/right side with a thumb sprain and our share of the flu and covid on game days, which I’m sure everyone has. Right now we have everyone in the position that makes this team click and we are ready to make some noise.” Bryan Barrett
15. E.D. White (7-7, 1-2 week)…Beat No.15 Newman 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-18), then lost 3-0 to No.1 STM and 3-0 to No.7 Dominican (11-25, 9-25, 23-25)
16. St. Michael (17-2, 1-0 week)…Beat No.25 U-High 3-1 (25-21, 25-17, 21-25, 25-8)…moved up four spots
17. Newman (13-6 overall, 0-1 week)…Lost to No.13 EDW 3-0 (17-25, 17-25, 18-25)
18.Dutchtown (17-8, 4-3 week)… Beat Chapelle and Denham Springs 3-0 during week, then went 2-3 at CCA Tourney…beat C.E. Byrd and Airline…lost to No.3 Slidell, No.14 WCA, and Notre Dame
19. Teurlings Catholic (10-11 overall, 9-10 vs LA, 3-5 week) Lost 3-1 to No.14 WCA…then had 3-0 wins vs Breaux Bridge and St. Martinville
20. Catholic High N.I. (14-4, 2-0 week)…Two 3-0 wins vs Ascension Episcopal and Cecilia
21. Sam Houston (22-4, 6-1 week)…3-0 wins over both Barbe and St Louis Catholic…then 4-1 at CCA Tourney…Beating Byrd, Lutcher, Chapelle, and Central Catholic, lost to No.12 Ben Franklin 2-0 (21-25, 14-25). Head Coach Rene Fontenot picked up career win No.800. She will be retiring at the end of her 33rd season at Sam Houston and before the match Saturday with Chapelle, she was honored with a flower from every player and coach from the Chipmunks.
22. Northshore (6-7, 0-1 week)….Lost 3-1 to Northlake Christian (23-25, 21-25, 26-24, 19-25) St. Joseph’s (11-10 overall, 9-10 vs LA, 0-2 week)…Lost 3-0 to both No.2 MCA and No.7 PBS
23. SSA (7-7, 2-0 week)…Had 3-0 wins vs Salmen and Ponchatoula
24. Northshore (6-7, 0-1 week)….Lost 3-1 to Northlake Christian (23-25, 21-25, 26-24, 19-25)
25. Northlake Christian (11-8, 6-2 week)…Beat Northshore and Mandeville 3-0 early in the week… Went 3-2 at CCA Tourney beating Notre Dame, Iota, and Central Catholic and losing to No.18 LCA
Others:
U-High (19-4…1-1 week)…Lost to No.20 St. Michael 3-1 (21-25, 17-25, 25-21, 8-25)…then beat Catholic PC 3-0
Dunham (16-7, 4-2 week)…Beat Terrebonne 3-0 then lost 3-0 to No.4 Hannan…went 3-1 at CCA beating No.10 John Curtis, HLB, and Ponchatoula…losing to No.10 John Curtis
AOL (16-4, 2-0 week) beat Thomas Jefferson and Crescent City 3-0
Calvary Baptist (15-5, 2-0 week) Beat Evangel Christian and Loyola Prep
Lakeshore (11-7, 3-0 week) Beat No.11 Hahnville 3-1 (25-23, 16-25, 25-23, 25-23), also beat Ruston and Pearl River
Notre Dame (13-9, 5-2 week) Beat DeQuincy and Welsh…then went 3-2 at CCA…beating No.17 Dutchtown, Lutcher, and South Lafourche…losing to No.3 Slidell and NLC
Iota (13-2, 4-1 week) Beat Iowa and lost to Westlake during the week…3-0 Saturday at CCA beating EA, Central Private and Belle Chasse
Sacred Heart (20-3, 2-0 week) A pair of 3-0 wins over ASH-GC and Karr
Breakdown by Divisions
Division I
1. Slidell
2. Mt. Carmel
3. Dominican
4. Hahnville
5. Dutchtown
6. St Joseph’s
7. Northshore
Division II
1. St. Thomas More
2. Ben Franklin
3. Teurlings Catholic
4. Sam Houston
5. SSA
Division III
1. Hannan
2. Parkview Baptist
3. Haynes
4. Vandebilt
5. EDW
6. St. Michael
Division IV
1. John Curtis
2. LCA
3. Newman
4. CHNI
5. Northlake Christian
Division V
1. Country Day
2. WCA (Opelousas)
VSN Broadcast Live Streaming Schedule This Week
Monday Oct. 7
MCA @ Haynes
Tuesday Oct 8Northlake Christian @ Curtis
Parkview Baptist @ Newman
Highland Baptist @ CCA
Thursday Oct 10
Newman @ Sacred Heart
Chapelle @ Dominican
Comeaux @ Cecilia