Ruston's season ends in first round to East Ascension

Ruston volleyball’s playoff run came to an end Wednesday night as No. 17 East Ascension defeated the Lady Bearcats at home in straight sets (25-15, 25-19, 25-23).

After a rocky start to open the match with the visiting Spartans taking a 21-3 lead in the first frame thanks to strong net play, fast serves, and dominant middle blockers, Ruston stormed back to close the set on a 12-4 run, making East Ascension sweat down the stretch after the match had early markings of a blowout game overall. 

In what would turn out to be the theme of the night, Ruston answered when its back was against the wall but just couldn’t deliver the final blow to East Ascension before the night was over.

Head coach Amanda Cauley was proud of the Lady Bearcats for staying in the fight and competing until the end.

“I’m not disappointed in the team as much as the outcome isn’t what we wanted. But I thought we battled so valiantly,” Cauley said. “My seniors laid it all out on the line and they really set the standard for the underclassmen of what it looks like to give all you have and not be complacent and to be gritty and hungry and want it. It’s up to them to carry that torch into the next season.”

Cauley did add postgame that the opening set was a clear sign her team was rattled by East Ascension’s length at the net and overall power on offense, leading to the 21-3 before anyone had time to process what was happening.

“I feel like my underclassmen were a little intimidated, as to be expected. I could see that on their faces pregame. And that happens. This is a playoff game and it carries a lot of weight and they are big. That is intimidating,” Cauley said. “Once we got our footing, we tried to be faster. In that situation, I was telling them to run everything fast, quick, quick, quick.”

Ruston found its footing but it proved to be too late as the Lady Bearcats found a brief spark thanks to three kills from Harper and strong net play from Jane Ramsey. Ruston cut the deficit to 14-23 but allowed late serve control to go back to the visitors to give the Spartans an eventual 25-15 win in set one.

Set two was more competitive, with Ruston taking its first lead of the match at 13-12 at the halfway point of the frame thanks to East Ascension’s multiple errors. Harper and her sister Baylor Cauley traded points to help Ruston gain a 17-13 lead - forcing an East Ascension timeout. Out of the break, the Spartans exploded for a 7-1 run to storm ahead 20-18 to force Ruston into a timeout. The stoppage didn’t give Ruston its own run as East Ascension closed the second set with a 25-19 win.

The third and final set saw Ruston jump out to its biggest lead of the night at 8-2 thanks to a pair of service aces from senior Katelyn Rollins, who finished with a team-high 3 aces, and a pair of blocks and kills from sophomore Ava Crowe. 

Cauley credited Rollins for showing out in her final performance but also thanked one of her five seniors for her selflessness all season long.

“Katelyn is like my silent assassin,” Cauley said. “She’s really an under-recognized tool that we have. Her name doesn’t get in the paper a lot but Katelyn is one of those players that will do whatever I ask, whenever I ask without a complaint, without a question. She’s been a defensive player, she’s been moved to the front row. She started the season not hitting and ended the season as my other outside hitter and was able to keep the ball in play - that’s all I asked her to do.”

East Ascension eventually cut into the deficit but Ruston maintained control as Harper and Baylor continued to trade points midway through the third. The Lady Bearcats grabbed a 19-17 lead after one of Harper’s 6 kills in the final frame but East Ascension continued to apply pressure and pulled ahead 22-21 before ending the match with a 25-23 victory.

Harper Cauley led Ruston with 11 kills, 1 block, 13 digs, and 2 aces, while Baylor Cauley had 5 kills and 8 assists. Laia Canovas led Ruston with 10 assists and Ava Crowe had 4 kills and 2 blocks. Katelyn Rollins had 3 aces, 6 digs, and a kill.

Cauley ended the night thanking her seniors -  Rilee Atwood, Harper Cauley, Ellie Koonce, Katelyn Rollins, and Mariah White - for their collective effort and love for Ruston volleyball.

“I really feel like I had buy-in from my seniors,” Cauley said. “I feel like they trusted me this season and they listened to me and they were coachable. I felt like the relationships grew and the senior class is the one that set the example for that.”

Ruston finishes the 2024 season with a 23-14 overall record.