Fontainebleau (44-3) had its magical season end Friday as the Lady Bulldogs fell to the Mount Carmel Cubs 25-22, 25-21, 20-25, 25-16 in the semifinal round of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association volleyball state playoffs at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner.

Fontainebleau, the state runner up last year, made another great run, before coming up short against a talented Mt. Carmel club.

FHS head coach Danny Tullis praised his team’s effort.

(Use arrows above to view more photos)

“You can’t fault our kids effort. They pushed and they didn’t quit. They were down early and were able to come back. Mt. Carmel kept the intensity and the passion the whole match. I thought they were quite impressive,” Tullis said.

FHS senior Jessica Guttierrez pounded 15 kills for the Lady Bulldogs followed by junior Delany Pittari with 10, while senior setter Michelle Cabeceiras fashioned 40 assists. Junior libero Caitlyn Auxilien pulled up 25 digs and sophomore Sarah Ulm contributed five blocks.

Tullis said he was impressed with the way his two seniors Cabeceiras and Guttierrez stayed focused and never let down.

“I thought they both played very well. They were extremely consistent all the way through. Michelle and Jessica were the initial freshman group when I took over the program four years ago. They both helped start the team’s turnaround seeing varsity time their freshman year. Their four years of hard work and leadership helped us get to the playoffs all four years (quarters, semis, finals and semis),” Tullis added.

Tullis said his club is knocking on the door every year.

“Maybe one day we will go in.”

Tullis also mentioned senior Brittany Scearce, who was with the team all year, after transferring from Northlake Christian School, and was ruled ineligible by the LHSAA.

Mt. Carmel (39-5), the No. 2 seed, played strong defense in the semifinal match and picked up timely hitting, handing FHS, the No. 3 seed, only its third loss of the season all at the hands of the Cubs. FHS defeated Mt. Carmel once earlier in the season.

Cubs’ head coach April Hagadone said Fontainebleau has always been tough.

“They took us out last year so we were coming back for some revenge this year. We had the confidence going in. We match up really well against them. They are a great team. They are very talented and young. I think they will be back next year giving everyone a run for their money,” she said.

Hagadone credited her defense with doing a really good job led by junior libero Alex Pfefferle, who delivered a match-high 26 digs.

Mt. Carmel juniors Victoria Boraski and Taylor Vanderwerff both netted 18 kills to spark the Cubs’ attack, while junior Kaylynn Genemaras fashioned 28 assists. Junior Megan O’Neill came up big at the net with 11 blocks and sophomore Angele Maumus served five aces.

Game one was tied nine times. FHS took an early 5-2 advantage with Cabeceiras serving two points including a block by Taylor Anderson. Morgan Todd gave the Lady Bulldogs a 9-5 lead with two points on a kill by Anderson and a block by Guttierrez.

Mt. Carmel’s Ashley Nerin ran off five straight points to give the Cubs an 11-9 lead. FHS’ Guttierrez stepped up big time and downed two consecutive kills along with a block to regain the lead at 12-11 with Auxilien serving two points.

Game one’s final tie occurred at 18-18 coming on an Anderson kill before Mt. Carmel’s Vanderwerff blasted a kill to regain serve. Nerin stepped back in and ran off three more points and the Cubs were never headed en route to the 25-22 game on victory.

Fontainebleau took a 6-5 lead in game two with Haley Bonneval serving three points with Ulm and Anderson recording blocks. Game two was tied nine different times with the last stalemate coming at 15-15.

Mt. Carmel’s Genemaras put down a kill and Maumus served two points for a three point lead and the Cubs went on to take game two 25-21.

FHS showed its grit and determination coming back to take game three with some solid serving. FHS tied the game at 3-3 on a kill by Pittari. Todd followed with three straight points. Another Pittari kill made it 7-4 and Auxilien downed three points including another kill by Pittari for a 10-4 lead.

The Cubs’ Pfefferle had two points before FHS’ Pittari pounded a kill. Vanderwerff regained serve with a kill and Nerin polished off three points with O’Neill connecting for a kill and Amanda Wells added two kills to tie the game at 11-11.

FHS’ Anderson spanked a kill to make it a 16-16 tie and Todd followed with three service points to put the Lady Dawgs up. An Ulm kill gave FHS a 20-18 advantage and Auxilien downed two points including a Guttierrez kill for a four-point lead.

Mt. Carmel’s Vanderwerff put down a kill, but Pittari answered for Fontainebleau and then served an ace to make it 24-19.

Mt. Carmel scored on another Vanderwerff kill, but a serve out of bounds gave FHS the 25-20 game three victory.

Mt. Carmel was able to control the tempo in game four. The Cubs’ Boraski tallied a kill to give Mt. Carmel a 3-2 lead and Maumus reeled off six consecutive points including three aces, which put FHS on its heels.

Trailing 9-2, FHS’ Guttierrez and Pittari, tailored back-to-back kills, but the Lady Dawgs still trailed by five. After falling behind 12-4 Guttierrez got a dink and Bonneval stroked a kill. Down 13-6, FHS’ Bonneval got a nicely placed tip for a point. Guttierrez tallied two points including an ace. Anderson knocked down a kill.

Mt. Carmel managed to hold onto its lead with Genemaras registering a kill on a deflection for a 17-13 lead. Wells netted two points and FHS was unable to cut into the lead. Genemaras tallied a kill for a 22-15 margin and followed with two service points on a block by Vanderwerff and a kill. Pittari recorded a kill for FHS, but Vanderwerff ended things with a kill to give the Cubs the 25-16 game four victory along with the match.

Mt. Carmel advanced to Saturday night’s championship contest with the St. Joseph’s Academy Redstickers. St. Joe’s (46-1), the No. 1 seed, swept the Cubs, 28-26, 25-23, 25-21, in a closely contested championship match.

St. Joe’s captured its ninth Division I title and third in a row. Redstickers’ senior Cori Martone registered 19 kills and Lindsey Forroux tallied 24 assists. Morgan Adams collected 19 digs and served three aces, while Sabrina Stansberry contributed six blocks.

Genemaras topped the Cubs with 11 kills.