Dialog reporter
Field hockey enters its final full week of the regular season, although games will continue through Nov. 2. Volleyball wraps up on Saturday with a matinee featuring Ursuline and St. Mark’s, the fourth huge match of the week between Catholic schools.
Field hockey
Monday
St. Mark’s (5-5) vs. St. Elizabeth (3-7), 3:45 p.m. at St. Mark’s.
Padua (9-1) at Ursuline (9-2), 3:45 p.m. The rivals meet for the first of two times this week. This match was rescheduled from earlier in the season. The Raiders will look to play the inhospitable hosts against the high-scoring Pandas.
Glasgow (3-8-1) at St. Thomas More (5-3), 4 p.m.
Tuesday
St. Mark’s at Archmere (8-2-1), 3:45 p.m.
Thursday
Conrad at Archmere, 3:45 p.m.
Padua vs. St. Elizabeth, 3:45 p.m. at Hockessin Montessori School.
St. Mark’s at Ursuline, 3:45 p.m.
Friday
Archmere vs. MOT Charter, 5 p.m. at Rullo Stadium. The Auks take on the Mustangs at the University of Delaware as part of the annual Turf Bowl. This year, three other Catholic school teams are playing in the event, which takes place over three days.
Sunday
Ursuline vs. Padua, 2 p.m. at Rullo Stadium.
St. Elizabeth vs. Brandywine, 5 p.m. at Rullo Stadium.
Volleyball
Monday
First State Military Academy (4-8) at St. Elizabeth (5-8), 5:15 p.m. The Vikings have taken a significant step forward this year against one of the toughest schedules in the state. Those opponents have them in contention for a postseason berth, but first the Vikings will look to take care of business in the first of two home matches to wrap up the regular season.
Tuesday
Milford (2-10) at St. Thomas More (6-5), 4 p.m.
St. Mark’s (11-2) at Padua (13-0), 7 p.m. The Catholic Conference rivals meet for the second time this season as the playoffs near. Padua swept on Sept. 19, but the Spartans have won eight of nine since. It is Senior Night for the Pandas, so expect a large turnout to honor the outgoing players. Get to the gym early for a parking spot and a seat.
Archmere (9-4) at Ursuline (11-1), 7:15 p.m. Meanwhile, a few blocks away, these two longtime foes renew their rivalry. A win for the Auks would be a huge boost going into the postseason. The Raiders, however, are known for defending the home turf.
Thursday
Padua at Ursuline, 7:15 p.m. Can you beat Tuesday night’s schedule? Perhaps only with this, a rematch between the top two teams in the state, only this time, it’s Padua at No. 1. Padua knocked Ursuline from the ranks of the unbeaten and the No. 1 spot in the rankings with a five-set thriller on Oct. 4. It is the only blemish on the Raiders’ record, and they would like nothing better than to spoil the Pandas’ dreams for an unbeaten season. Parking and seating will be at a premium, and expect playoff intensity and a postseason atmosphere.
Friday
Archmere at Newark Charter, 5:30 p.m.
Newark at St. Elizabeth, 6:45 p.m.
Saturday
Ursuline at St. Mark’s, 1:30 p.m. Both the Raiders and Spartans are well-positioned for the state tournament. This is the final regular-season match in Delaware in 2017; seedings will come out later Saturday or early Sunday. Ursuline defeated St. Mark’s in four sets earlier this year, but the Spartans are home this time.
