Went it's a rivalry matchup you know you’re in store for some great competition and that is the case no matter the sport with Nemaha Central and Sabetha as the two teams meet up in Seneca for a pair of Big Seven League volleyball showdowns.

The rivalry didn't disappoint as both teams ended the night with another tally in the win column as the two teams split the League double header. Nemaha Central claimed the first match of the night winning 25-15, 25-21, while Sabetha answered with a 25-20, 25-22 win in match two of the evening.

The night started with Sabetha opening set one of the first matchup by pushing out to a 5-1 early lead, with Tristen Koch dialing in a pair of service aces to help the Bluejays take the early lead. But Nemaha Central quickly pushed back with four straight to tie the set at 5-5 and then made it eight straight did the Thunder to take the 9-5 advantage before Sabetha called a timeout. Out of the timeout the Thunder continued to roll as Nemaha Central took their consecutive point run to 13-straight with April Kuckelman at the helm with the serving duties for the Thunder, before Sabetha finally ended the run, but the Thunder led 14-6. The 13-straight points by the Thunder proved to be too much for Sabetha to come back from as Nemaha Central claimed set one 25-15.

In second set the two teams traded leads early until Nemaha Central took a three-point advantage at 14-11 and pushed it out to 18-12, but Sabetha crawled back into the set late making it 20-18 off three straight tallies but the Thunder would hold and gain the match win with a 25-21 set two victory.

The height upfront for the Thunder played a huge factor as Madison Koch dialed up multiple kills in the two set win and Shaylan Stallbaumer made multiple plays. Jaci Swart at the setter spot set up both Koch and Stallbaumer all matchup along with Kaley Dalinghaus and Rachael Baumgartner. For Sabetha in the loss Heidi Heiniger at the libero and Mariah Huneke made some solid plays, along with Koch.

Sabetha looking to earn the split on the night put together a strong performance to earn the straight set win over Nemaha Central in match two of the evening. Set one started off with Nemaha Central taking the lead and held it until 10-9 when Sabetha took the advantage for the first time in the set. The Bluejays pushed the lead to 12-9 and the Thunder needed a timeout to corral the troops; Sabetha then pushed it up to a 15-9 lead, but Nemaha Central rattled off five-straight tallies to make it 15-14, until Sabetha staved off the Thunder attack and maintained the lead all the way to a 25-20 set one win.

Set two started off well for the Thunder with four-straight to open the matchup but the Bluejays worked it to a 5-5 tie and the took a 10-6 lead. The teams traded blows back and forth the rest of the way and the Bluejays took the win in a tight 25-22 set.

Senior, Rhianna Becker was absolutely flying all over the court in the matchup for the Bluejays making players right and left, finishing with multiple kills for Sabetha, while Emily Meyer had multiple kills and a pair of service aces in the contest, also and Alexis McAfee made multiple strong plays. For Nemaha Central, Jenna Macke came up with big kills throughout the sets to keep the Thunder in the contest, while Koch, Stallbaumer and Swart continued to make plays.

With the split on the night Nemaha Central moved to 14-6 on the year and 6-2 in Big Seven play, while Sabetha moved to 8-6 on the season and 5-3 in League action. Up next for both teams looms more League play on Thursday, October 2nd as Nemaha Central travels to Jeff West and Sabetha will play host to Royal Valley.