For the 23rd straight year, the Caldwell County Lady Tiger volleyball team will play in a district championship match.
Caldwell’s girls will play Madisonville-North Hopkins for the 7th District championship Tuesday night after defeating Hopkins County Central 3-0 in Monday’s semifinal round action.
Caldwell, the No. 2 seed, defeated the third-seeded Lady Storm 25-20, 25-9, 25-6 at the CAB gym in Princeton.
Chevy McGowan had 13 kills, six digs and three aces as Caldwell continued a lengthy winning streak against Hopkins Central.
Med Thomas added eight kills as the Lady Tigers defeated the Lady Storm for the 30th straight time.
Caldwell is 56-1 all-time against Hopkins Central. The Lady Storm’s win in the series came in 2013.
Grace Watson had seven kills, a block and a dig in the latest Caldwell win. Troy Freeman added six kills, three blocks and an ace.
Tink Clark tallied four kills, 16 digs and four aces. Kylee White recorded 35 assists to go along with a kill, a block and two digs.
Laylay Shearer had two kills and a block.
Mycah Riddle finished with eight digs, a kill, two assists and one ace. Maddie Cooper had four digs and three aces.
Caldwell (16-10) won the first three points of the first set and never trailed, but did have to turn away a Hopkins Central rally late in the set.
Hopkins Central (4-23) led early in the second set before the Lady Tigers surged ahead and pulled away for the win.
Caldwell then finished the match with a strong third set to end the contest.
Of the Lady Tigers’ previous 22 trips to the district final, they’ve won the title 18 times.
But the Lady Tigers will have to take down top-seeded Madisonville-North Hopkins (16-18) to add to that championship total.
Caldwell lost to the Lady Maroons twice during the regular season.
The Lady Tigers will carry a seven-match winning streak into the championship tilt.
Madisonville has won four of its last five matches.
Tuesday’s final will begin at 6 p.m.
