By Brandon Sumrall and Anthony Richards | Special to the Advertiser
Senior night for Kaitlyn Lowery, Sydnee Robinson and Lauren Reeser was made extra special on Monday night, as the Thorsby Rebels knocked off the Jemison Panthers on senior night for the Rebels, 25-17; 24-26; 25-22; 16-25; 15-11.

“We played out hearts out,” Robinson said. “It was a night to remember.”

Lowery got her senior night off on the right foot by picking up a pair of aces from her serving position and leading a six-point Thorsby run to start the first set of the evening.

The Rebel lead was short-lived, as a seven-point run by the Panthers led by Cameron Lockhart put Jemison out in front by one.

A kill by Carlee Wyatt along with an ace by Reeser aided in another Thorsby run to give the Rebels a six-point lead, of which they would not relent on their way to a 25-17 first set win.

Lowery got the second set started much of the way that she did the first, as the Thorsby senior started the set with a 4-0 run for the Rebels.

Thorsby built a 9-2 lead before Camille Hague took over serving duties for the Panthers and led a 5-0 run to bring the score to 9-7.

Jemison made the comeback complete, as Kelsey Lowery led three straight points by the Panthers to tie the game at 12-all.

With the score tied at 16, a 5-0 run by the Rebels was later answered by a 5-0 run by the Panthers that knotted it up at 22.

The score remained tied at 24 before the Panthers were able to pick two points to finish the set with Jemison on top, 26-24.

The Rebels carried a slim three-point lead midway through the first set until Lowery took over serving duties for the Panthers and led a 6-0 run to give Jemison a 12-10 lead.

The Panthers maintained a slim lead until four consecutive aces by Hannah Northcutt made the Jemison lead six.

The set proved to be far from over, as Cameron Lockhart led a 6-0 run that tied the game at 20, as the Rebels went on to win set three, 25-22.

 

Set four of the night was a battle from the opening serve, as neither team was able to establish a comfortable lead.

With the score tied at 13, a pair of aces by Hague gave the Panthers a slim two-point lead, which Jemison carried through to an 18-16 lead when Lowery took over serving led the Panthers on an 8-0 run to give Jemison a 25-16 set win.

With the score tied at two, a pair of aces by Hague gave Jemison a two-point lead that the Panthers later build to four.

Trailing by four, Wyatt took over serving duties for the Rebels and led a 8-0 run that gave Thorsby a 14-10 lead.

A ball hit out of bounds by the Panther and the Rebels earned the final point of the evening to close out the match 3-2 in five sets.

Reeser led the Rebels with five aces, five kills and a block, while Kaitlyn Lowery added five aces, 10 assists and a kill.

“It was a bittersweet moment,” Kaitlyn Lowery said.

Northcutt led the Panthers with 19 kills and five aces with Hague adding 10 kills and nine aces.

Thorsby head coach Leighsa Robinson is in her second season leading the Rebels after having spent time in the past at Jemison as a coach for 13 years and a player for five.

According to Robinson, during her tenure as coach at Jemison she had only seen Thorsby win twice over Jemison in volleyball prior to Monday night’s victory.

“Our seniors played their hearts out and our underclassman followed their lead helping make this a night our seniors will always remember,” Robinson said. “This is big for our program. Anytime you can win over a team that has such a winning tradition like Jemison you know you’re on the right track.  I’m so proud of my team and their heart and determination.”

Thorsby and Jemison will both turn its attention to the Chilton County Tournament, which will be played Oct. 7 and hosted by Chilton County High School.