The Bishop Chatard High School volleyball team lost the City championship to Cathedral, 3-1, on Thursday night but coach Larry Leonhardt's never felt better about his team.

"We've had to work our way through some tough situations but over the last couple of weeks we've been playing some good volleyball," he said. "We are simply responding to situations better. Mentally, the players have responded. They're not letting themselves get flaked out. I've got a couple players like me. I'm from the southside and we're hardheaded down there.

"We believe if there's a problem, you knock your head against it until it finally breaks down. We're learning (as a team) if there's a door there, maybe it's easier going through the door. The players are coming back and meeting every positive play with a positive response and every not-so-positive play with a positive response."

The loss to Class 4A No. 1 Cathedral snapped a 10-game winning streak that included victories over 2A No. 5 Heritage Christian, 4A No. 8 New Castle and Carmel. The Trojans are 23-8, its best record since the 2004 state championship team with only North Central on Wednesday at 7 p.m. left in the regular season.

The 3A No. 5 Trojans received a favorable draw in one of the state's toughest sectionals with a bye to semifinals where it will play Beech Grove. Host Roncalli, ranked seventh, and No. 6 Brebeuf Jesuit will likely meet in the other semifinal.

"We know sectionals will be something of a mind game but we're getting matches that will help us prepare for that," Leonhardt said. "I'm really happy with what I'm seeing out of the players."