Dialog reporter
Playoffs? Yes, we’re talking playoffs. Volleyball has moved into the later rounds, while field hockey gets underway on Tuesday. For the first time, there are two divisions in field hockey. Volleyball remains at one division.
Volleyball
Tuesday
No. 12 Conrad (12-5) vs. No. 4 St. Mark’s (12-4), 6 p.m. at the St. E Center. The Red Wolves, the lowest seed remaining in the tournament, faces a dangerous St. Mark’s team. Conrad has a mixture of height and one of the state’s best defenders in libero Alyssa Faville, and she will be busy against the Spartans’ Savannah Seemans.
No. 6 Wilmington Charter (12-4) vs. No. 3 Ursuline (14-2), 6 p.m. at St. Mark’s. The Force took Ursuline to four sets in their regular-season matchup, getting 18 kills that night from hitter Maddie Matheny. Ursuline brings a multi-pronged attack and defends with the best of them, led by the Davis sisters, Sam and Sydney.
No. 8 Archmere (11-5) vs. No. 1 Padua (16-0), approx., 7 p.m., at the St. E Center. The teams meet for the second time this year, as the Pandas took a 3-0 decision a few weeks ago. Both teams needed four sets to win their second-round matches. The big hitters are the big story, as Emily Jarome of Padua and Julia Kochie of Archmere led their teams in the second round.
Thursday
Conrad/St. Mark’s winner vs. Archmere/Padua winner, time TBA at St. Mark’s.
Wilmington Charter/Ursuline winner vs. Red Lion/Tower Hill winner, time TBA at St. Mark’s.
Field hockey
Division II
Tuesday
No. 10 Brandywine (11-4) at No. 7 Ursuline (10-5), 2:30 p.m. The Bulldogs won five of their final six matches and earned an at-large bid to the tournament. They are led offensively by Lauren Vandenbraak and Raquel Brown. They will face a Raiders team that snapped a three-game losing streak last week in the regular-season finale. Caroline Taylor and Jordan Kenney are among the offensive options.
No. 11 St. Mark’s (7-7-1) at No. 6 Wilmington Friends (11-3-1), 2:30 p.m. The Spartans’ strong schedule earned them enough points for a tournament berth, and they will attempt to take advantage against a traditionally tough Quakers team. St. Mark’s rebounded nicely from a 2-5 start to finish strong. Megan Noonan leads a balanced attack.
Saturday
Indian River/Lake Forest winner at No. 4 Archmere (11-3-1), 11 a.m. The Auks, winners of the Diamond State Athletic Conference, open at home.
Brandywine/Ursuline winner at No. 2 Tower Hill (14-0-1), 11 a.m.
St. Mark’s/Wilmington Friends winner at No. 3 Caravel (11-2-2), 11 a.m.
Division I
Thursday
No. 8 Sussex Tech (9-5-1) vs. No. 1 Padua (13-1-1), 6:30 p.m. at Caravel. The Pandas are riding high, with their lone loss coming to perennial power Cape Henlopen. Katie Buczik, Kathleen Melia and the rest of the talented Pandas will have to contain high-scoring Ravens midfielder Morgan Johnson.
