Old rivals Caldwell County and Henderson County drew into the top bracket of the Second Region Volleyball Tournament that begins Monday at Madisonville-North Hopkins High School. Meanwhile, University Heights, who has the region’s best RPI ranking, is in the lower bracket with three teams that are a combined four games under .500.
Henderson County (20-12) vs. Livingston Central (7-19) – Monday at 5:30
Henderson County and Livingston Central open the tournament Monday at 5:30. The Lady Colonels are the four-time defending region champions and have won 12 straight region tourney matches. However, Henderson dropped two regular season matches to University Heights and one to Caldwell County. They enter the region tourney having dropped five of their last seven matches.
Despite what appear to be chinks in the Lady Colonel armor, Henderson County has played for the region title 10 of the last 15 years, winning seven championships. During that span, Henderson County has never lost a first round game in the tourney. They are 30-7 in tourney games since 2003. Henderson is 8-3 against the region field.
Livingston Central only won seven games during the regular season, but three came in the final eight games. Livingston has dropped five straight first round games dating back to 2011. All four of their region tourney wins came from 2009-11 when they advanced to the semifinals twice and lost to Caldwell County in the 2009 championship match. The Lady Cardinals are 0-6 against the region field.
Henderson and Livingston did not meet during the regular season and haven’t played since the opening round of the 2015 tournament. Henderson won that match in straight sets.
Caldwell County (21-13) vs. Hopkinsville (12-14) – Monday at 7:15
Caldwell County is 6-4 in the region tournament the past four seasons. All four losses have come to Henderson County. Caldwell County won their 13th consecutive district title Thursday with a straight set win over Madisonville. The Lady Tigers are looking for their first region title since 2011. Since 2007, Caldwell County has lost in the first round of the region tourney just once – in 2014. They are 23-11 in the tourney since 2003. Caldwell County is 8-0 against the region field and was 12-0 against all Second Region teams during the season.
Hopkinsville is in the region field as a runner-up for the second straight season after falling to UHA for a third time this season. After missing the tourney from 2012-16, Hoptown is playing in their third straight tourney for the first time since 2003-05.
Hoptown is 1-8 against the region field with the win coming over Crittenden County on Oct. 15. Hoptown’s only two first round wins came in 2004 and 2017.
Caldwell County won the regular season contest Sept. 24 in Hopkinsville. Caldwell has won 20 straight against Hoptown dating back to 2004. Their only region tourney meeting came two years ago in the second round at Trigg County, a Caldwell straight set win.
Crittenden County (14-17) vs. Webster County (17-15) – Tuesday at 5:30
The Lady Rockets have won consecutive district titles for the first time in program history. Their next step is to win their first region tournament game. Crittenden County is one of four teams in the region field with a losing record, joining Hopkinsville (12-14), Madisonville (16-19), and Livingston Central (7-19). The Lady Rockets are 4-4 against the region field which includes a 3-1 record against Livingston Central.
Webster County is in the region tournament for the third straight season and are looking for their first win. Webster enters the region tourney winners of seven of their last nine matches. They have been eliminated by UHA two of the last three years. Webster County is 3-5 against the region field.
Crittenden County and Webster County split their regular season matches with each team winning on the other’s home floor. One of these teams will get the school’s first-ever region tourney win Tuesday.
University Heights Academy (28-5) vs. Madisonville (16-19) – Tuesday at 7:15
The Lady Blazers have set a school record for wins in a season and brought home consecutive district titles. They also have the highest RPI in the region. UHA enters the tournament on a nine-game winning streak. Their lone loss in that stretch came against Logan County.
UHA was 17-1 against region teams this year. Their only loss against a region team was to Caldwell County in the All-A Championship match. UHA was 17-1 against region teams and 9-1 against the region field with their lone region loss to Caldwell County back in August. UHA is 6-7 all-time in the region tournament.
After a one-year absence, the Lady Maroons are back in the region tourney. Madisonville is 2-7 against the tourney field. The Lady Maroons have not dropped a first round match since 2011. They join Henderson County and Caldwell County as tourney teams with a region championship. They won three straight titles from 2004-06.
UHA beat Madisonville in four sets in their lone regular season matchup. UHA is 9-7 all-time against Madisonville. Their only region tourney game was a UHA second round win in 2014.
The semifinals will be Wednesday at 5:30 and 7:15 with the championship game on Halloween night at 7:00. Admission is seven dollars for adults and five dollars for students.