Thursday night featured a pair of critical first-place volleyball matchups in Chronicle Country.

Lexington and River Bluff renewed their rivalry at Wildcat Gymnasium for first-place supremacy in Region 5-5A. In Region 5-3A, Gilbert played host to Orangeburg-Wilkinson in a Region 5-3A clash which has seen the two teams faced each other in a one-game playoff two years in a row.

River Bluff won in three sets 26-24, 25-16, 25-13 over Lexington.

Nice to win the first meeting of the season against them,” River Bluff head coach Bryan Piro said. “I honestly don’t remember the last time we had won at their place.  It’s been a while.

Senior outside hitters Sarah Lawrence and Ava Reeves combined for 27 kills and middle hitter Mo Mathews and junior Kylie Wilson each had eight kills.

“First set, emotions and nerves were high for both teams,” River Bluff head coach Bryan Piro said. “But after we got through the first set, we ended up settling down and played solid volleyball.

“Strong defensive plays by senior Libero Paige Spanbauer kept us in transition all night and allowed our quick offense to be very successful.”

River Bluff improved to 19-3 on the season, 2-0 in Region 5-5A. It will next compete in a tournament this weekend at Dorman High School.

Over in Gilbert, the defending region champions rebounded from a first-set loss to defeat the Bruinettes in four sets.

The scores were 23-25, 25-12, 25-12, 25-22. It was the first loss of the season for O-W, while Gilbert improved to 7-4-1 overall, 3-0 in the region.

"After dropping the first set 23-25, my team refocused and came back out with so much determination and played with a relentless attitude," Gilbert head coach Jackie Shealy said. "With some fatigued settling in from so many long, intense rallies, the girls dug in and captured set by playing from the heart.  They were determined not to leave the court with any regrets tonight. I could not be more proud of these ladies." 

The Lady Indians travel to Airport Sept. 19.