(See related photo gallery on Spotted)

Middleburg's Lady Broncos square off against Santa Fe at 7 p.m. Thursday night for the District 3-4A volleyball championship.

The top-seeded Lady Broncos (11-15) defeated district-tournament host Baker County, 25-15, 30-28, 25-21, in Tuesday's semifinals to secure at least a second-place district finish, which includes a state playoff berth. But if they want to play that first playoff game at home against a lower-seeded opponent, they'll have to go through Santa Fe, a three-game winner over Ridgeview in Tuesday's earlier semifinal.

Middleburg beat second-seeded Santa Fe in three games during the season, but Broncos coach Carrie Prewitt said "that wasn't the same team we'll see on Thursday." After seeing Santa Fe beat the third-seeded Panthers in the first semifinal, she said their next opponent is much improved since the time the two teams first met.

The Lady Broncos were lucky to escape their semifinal with Baker in three-straight games. While the first contest was a relatively easy task, the Lady Wildcats, with vocal hometown support, came out strong in the second game, jumping to a 21-15 lead. But Middleburg fought back to a 22-22 tie. Baker took five-consecutive one-point leads and had three game points in that stretch, but the Lady Broncos staved off defeat each time and where finally able to put together three-consecutive points of their own for the 30-28 win.

Prewitt said winning the second game was huge, as the momentum was really starting to swing the Wildcats' way.

"Two games in a row allows you to take a deep breath," she said.