Emotions were high on Thursday night as Lehighton hosted its senior night volleyball match against Palmerton to cap off the season for both squads.

The two rivals matched each other evenly through three sets with the Indians taking two of them. Lehighton then pulled away in the fourth for a 3-1 Colonial League victory.

With both teams out of playoff contention, there was only one thing left to play for in the season finale — a win for the seniors.

Whether it was a four-year veteran, like Lehighton’s Autumn Clewell, or a first-year performance from teammate Olivia Serfass, this night meant the same for all the upperclassmen.

“I love being able to compete and do it with some of the people that I love most,” Serfass said. “Being able to play volleyball this year with my teammates at Lehighton was just another opportunity to compete and get some stuff done.”

The teams wasted no time in sending out punches, trading the lead back and forth.

Just like a basketball game, it was a match of runs and momentum that wavered throughout the contest. A 6-0 run from Lehighton put itself up 13-8 only for the Bombers to respond with a 10-1 spurt to take an 18-14 lead. Just when Palmerton looked like it was in control, the Indians rallied with an 11-4 stretch to win the first set 25-22.

The second set looked like more of the same with Lehighton using a 7-1 run to get out of an early deficit, only for the Bombers to battle back and take a 24-22 lead.

With game point on the line, the Indians rallied for the next four points, capped off by back-to-back aces from Breanna Demage, to take the set 26-24.

The back-and-forth brigade continued in set No. 3 with the teams trading points to a 12-12 tie until a quick 4-0 run by the Indians put them ahead 22-18. With the Bombers’ season on the line, the visitors responded with four unanswered points and then survived extra time for a 26-24 triumph.

Unfortunately for Palmerton, its effort to stay alive was thwarted by a massive Indian wave early in the fourth set.

A dominating 13-1 stretch put the home team on top 14-3. That was later followed by a six-point burst that extended its lead to 21-9. The Bombers fought to the end, but Lehighton capped off its season by eventually gaining a 25-13 decision.

“This group of seniors deserve to go out on a high note,” said Indians head coach Lauren Nietz. “The season didn’t go how I envisioned, but tonight is a true reflection (of) a look into the future of Lehighton volleyball.”

With only four seniors graduating and several younger players providing contributions, both Nietz and her players are excited for what lies ahead for the program.

“The growth has been outstanding,” said Clewell, who finished with 20 assists and 15 digs. “Just watching them grow and fill (our) shoes, It’s going to be an amazing next couple years. I really am so proud of them.”

“The future of Lehighton volleyball is looking very bright,” said Nietz. “We’ve given a lot of good teams a run for their money with a young team on the court, and I think we’ve made a statement this year that this program is growing and it will be a force to be reckoned with.”

On the other side, not only do seven seniors move on for Palmerton, but head coach Savannah Mickel will be somewhere else as well.

“I’m in the Army and I deploy next year shortly after the season, so this is my last season as well as my seniors,” she said. “I took over the program three years ago when they were sophomores, and I’ve kept all of my seniors and it means the world to me.”

FINAL GAME … Lehighton’s four graduating seniors include Clewell, Serfass, Jada Williams, and Maddie Serfass. In addition to coach Mickel, Palmerton loses seven seniors: Kylie Mattrazzo, Sadie Gair, Lilly Amorim, Grace Schneider, Elizabeth Keiper, Hailey Barry and Mikayla Maxwell.

LOUD AND PROUD … Lehighton’s marching band performed on Thursday, providing musical entertainment throughout the event.

Lehighton 3, Palmerton 1

Palmerton 22 24 26 13

Lehighton 25 26 24 25

Stat Leaders: Palmerton - N/A; Lehighton - Autumn Clewell 15 digs, 20 assists, 5 kills; Aleea Yeakel 35 digs, 3 aces; Breanna Demage 15 digs, 2 kills, 2 aces; Olivia Serfass 7 kills; Laney Kershner 5 kills, 2 blocks; Kennedy Quinn 4 kills, 6 digs; Maddie Serfass 4 digs, 4 aces.

Records: Palmerton (4-16; 3-13 CL); Lehighton (7-13; 5-11 CL).