Westlake No. 5 seed for volleyball playoffs
After earning their trip to the state tournament the hard way last year, the Westlake Rams will get to enjoy the comforts of home this season.
The Rams are seeded fifth in the Division III playoffs, meaning they will get to play at home through the first two rounds of the playoffs. Second round winners advance to the state tournament at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner. Last year, the 12th seeded Rams upset No. 5 Springfield on the road to reach the state tournament, where they lost in the quarterfinal round to Ursuline Academy.
Westlake (28-7) will host No. 28 Leesville (9-19) at 5 p.m. today in the first round of this year’s playoffs. Brackets were released Monday.
Also in Division III St. Louis (19-19) earned the 10th seed and will host No. 23 Cecilia (15-9). Iowa (25-21) earned a home game as the No. 14 seed and will host No. 19 St. Martinville (15-19) Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. Iowa beat St. Martinville in straight sets in a regular season game. Iota (20-21) is also home as the No. 12 seed and will host No. 21 Church Point (18-19). DeQuincy (8-22) was the last team in as the No. 32 seed and will travel to No. 1 Vandebilt Catholic (33-9). Jennings (9-22) is the No. 31 seed and will play at No. 2 St, Michael (31-5).
Sam Houston (28-14) is the 11th seed in Division II and will host No. 22 Haughton (21-12). LaGrange (8-9) is the No. 32 seed and will travel to No. 1 Tuerlings Catholic (37-2).
In Division I, both Barbe and Sulphur will hit the road. The Bucs (17-21) just missed a home game and will travel to No. 17 Dominican (23-14) at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. No. 21 Sulphur (17-12) will play at No. 12 Hahnville (26-14) Thursday at 5 p.m. Hamilton Christian (20-16) is the 23rd seed in Division V and will play at No. 10 St. John-Plaquemine (15-14).
The state tournament will be held Nov. 8-10, with the quarterfinal, semifinal and final rounds of each class held in Kenner.
Westlake’s Kayla Kennedy in a match earlier this year against St. Louis. The Lady Rams are the highest seeded local team in the playoffs.