As the Aberdeen Central volleyball team gets ready for a rematch with Sioux Falls Lincoln in the SoDak 16 at 6 p.m. on Thursday, the Golden Eagles will feature a much different look this time around.

The Patriots (18-11) swept Central (12-3) nearly two months ago, but much has changed for the Eagles since then.

“We played them on Sept. 16. We had a completely different rotation,” said Central coach Jackie Bindenagel. “We had just lost our middle. We had a very different lineup mid-September than what we do right now.”

The Eagles got off to slow starts in each of those sets in the prior meeting and had a difficult time with serve receive, according to Bindenagel.

“We went down there and could not pass a ball,” Bindenagel recalled. “I think they aced us like 11 or 12 times. We were all over the place.”

While Central will be an underdog on Thursday, the Eagles either defeated or lost close matches to teams that recently swept Lincoln. That should give the squad a bit of confidence heading into the biggest match of the season.

“We just have to go in there with absolutely no fear. We have to go in there and do all the little things we talk about and just have the courage to execute them,” Bindenagel said. “I know this group. They’re going to do everything they can to win that match on Thursday. I don’t have any doubts about that.”

The Eagles had a bit of a tough stretch in September, but seem to be playing their best volleyball at the right time of the season.

“October was like a breath of fresh air,” Bindenagel said. “We finally got our feet under us and now we just have to go for it.”