1,000 assists and a shared past fuel playoff push for two former rivals
Prairieville and Ascension Catholic volleyball programs will meet in the LHSAA playoffs after their head coaches, both former Assumption High players, led their teams to district titles.
By Alexei Brooks ·
Chandra Ewen and Kevreion Ward share a history that predates their current rosters. Both women played volleyball for legendary head coach Sandy Fussell at Assumption High. Now, as head coaches, they find themselves on opposite sides of the net in the Louisiana High School Athletic Association playoffs, having just won their respective district championships in 2026.
The season has been a first for both programs. Prairieville captured its first district title in program history, while Ward claimed the first district victory of her tenure at Ascension Catholic. The LHSAA volleyball playoffs commenced on November 2, with both teams set to host their first-round matches at home.
Ewen, who coached Ascension Catholic for 13 years before taking the Prairieville job, noted the difficulty of describing the program's breakthrough. She said, “It is a little hard to put into words how special it is to win our first district championship in our third season.” She credited the return of experienced players and their mental toughness for the district win.
Ward, who accepted the head coaching position at Ascension Catholic late in the spring, emphasized the ease her players made of her first season. “I took the head coaching job late in the spring, these young ladies have made it so much easier for me in my first season,” Ward said. She noted that winning the district title helped remove self-doubt among the players.
Prairieville, known as the Hurricanes, finished the regular season with a 30-8 record. The team is led by junior outside hitter Kate Perniciaro and sophomore outside hitter Brasia Smith. Junior setter Haley Sears reached 1,000 assists at the end of her sophomore season. Sophomore libero Jayci Harvey and sophomore Ally Guidry have provided steady support at the net and in defense.
Ascension Catholic, the Bulldogs, finished with a 22-14 record. The team relies heavily on its senior class, which has reached the state championships at the Cajundome in each of the last three years. Senior Ava Gauthe leads the offense at the net, while senior Emerson Lemann serves as the setter and a consistent server. Senior libero Karsyn Chaney and senior Sadie Kessler have also been key contributors.
Both coaches indicated that the regular-season schedule prepared their teams for the postseason. Ewen stated that the goal was always to reach the Cajundome, and that hosting the first two rounds is exciting. She added, “We expect to be challenged, a lower seed in Division I does not meet anything, everyone is good.”
Ward described the playoffs as the next step for her squad, noting that the team has built toward this moment since the first camp in the summer. She said, “Our mindset of never giving up, no matter the adversity that comes our way will take us a long way in a challenging division.”
In their upcoming first-round matches, fifth-ranked Prairieville will host 28th-ranked Covington. Fourth-ranked Ascension Catholic will host 29th-ranked West St. John. The teams must win these home games to advance to the next round of the tournament.
The regular season records for the relevant teams were Prairieville at 30-8, St. Amant at 21-14, Dutchtown at 20-14, East Ascension at 24-19, Donaldsonville at 6-4, and Ascension Christian at 19-9. The unofficial playoff matchups confirm that both district winners will serve as the higher seeds in their initial games.
