Preseason region favorites Caldwell County and Henderson County have drawn into the same side of the Second Region Volleyball Tournament brackets that were completed Friday.
Caldwell County (23-9) will open play Tuesday against Trigg County (9-24) at 7:30 at Union County High School. Caldwell County has won 10 of their last 11 first round games at the region tourney and advanced to the championship last year.
Trigg County has never won a region tournament game in 10 previous appearances. The teams did not meet in the regular season. Caldwell won their last matchup 3-0 in 2017. Caldwell also won the two previous matchups in the region tourney in 2010 and 2013.
In the 6pm game Tuesday, defending region champion Henderson County (19-11) will play Hopkinsville (9-24). Hopkinsville lost to Henderson County in four sets back on Aug. 14. Last year, Hopkinsville won their region tournament opener for the first time since 2004.
The Tuesday semifinal could feature Caldwell County and Henderson County.
Henderson County has defeated Caldwell County in the region title match each of the last two seasons and have won three straight region titles.
Caldwell County is 12-0 against region competition, including a 3-1 win over Henderson on Oct. 4. The Lady Colonels have battled the injury bug this season and have two region losses for the first time in eight years.
On Monday, University Heights Academy (23-14) opens the region tournament against Webster County (15-15) at 6pm. UHA beat Webster 3-0 in the opening round of the 2016 tournament and handed the Lady Trojans a straight set loss back on Sept. 11.
The 7:30 nightcap Monday has Crittenden County (25-5) playing Hopkins County Central (18-14) in a matchup of teams ending tourney droughts. Crittenden County last appeared in the region tournament in 2012 and have never won a region game in five previous appearances.
Hopkins County Central last appeared in the region tourney in 2013 and last won a game in 2012. The Lady Storm lost three matches to Crittenden County during the regular season with their Aug. 23 contest lasting five sets.
UHA and Crittenden County could meet for a third time in the semifinals. UHA bested the Lady Rockets in the All-A Classic region title match. Crittenden returned the favor last weekend.
The championship match will be played Wednesday at 7pm.
