WIAA State Girls Volleyball Preview: Division 1
Monday, November 4th, 2013 -- 10:21 AM
The 41st Annual Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Girls Volleyball State Tournament will take place this Thursday-Saturday at the Resch Center in Green Bay.Division 1
Thursday, Nov. 7
Time Match-up
4:30 p.m. Menomonee Falls (43-4) vs. Pius XI (27-19)
Appleton North (30-15) vs. Sun Prairie (42-5)
7:30 p.m. Wausau East (33-8) vs. Neenah (41-4)
Westosha Central (42-8) vs. Muskego (31-10)
Friday, Nov. 8
7 p.m. Semifinal (Thursday's 4:30 p.m. winners)
Semifinal (Thursday's 7:30 p.m. winners)
Saturday, Nov. 9
4:30 p.m. Championship Match
ABOUT THE DIVISION 1 FIELD: Westosha Central is making its membership-leading 19th overall appearance in the State Tournament and its first since 2007. The Falcons won back-to-back titles in 2003 and 2004 and added another in 2006. They also won the Class A title in 1989 and the Division 2 title in 1992. In addition, they have finished runner-up twice, in 1984 and 2002. The Falcons defeated two-time defending champion Burlington in four sets to win the Janesville Craig Sectional final and advance to the State semifinal. Muskego is making its sixth straight appearance at State and its ninth in the last 10 years. This is the Warriors? 13th appearance overall, which includes State championships in 2005 and 2009, and runner-up finishes in 2006 and 2010. They defeated Union Grove in the Oak Creek Sectional final to earn another berth in the State quarterfinals. Neenah returns to the State Tournament field for the second season in a row and for the 12th time overall. The Rockets have won one title, that came in 1978. They have finished runner-up on four occasions (1977, 1979, 1980 and 1992). They gain access to the State Tournament field this season by defeating West Bend East in three sets in the final of the Manitowoc Lincoln Sectional. Menomonee Falls is making its third State appearance in the last four years and its 10th overall. The Indians furthest advance in the State Tournament was a runner-up finish in 2000. They qualify for the final eight this season by defeating Mukwonago in three sets in the final of the Watertown Sectional. Pius XI returns to State for the eighth time overall, all coming since 2002. The Lady Popes? first two appearances, in 2002 and 2003, produced a championship and a runner-up finish, respectively. They added another runner-up finish in 2008. They defeated Divine Savior Holy Angels in five games in the sectional final to advance out of the Whitefish Bay Sectional. Sun Prairie makes its second appearance at State after qualifying for the first time last season, which resulted in a loss in the quarterfinals. The Cardinals defeated Middleton in the sectional final played at Middleton to earn another shot at the State title. Appleton North will be making its second appearance. Its only other experience in the State Tournament occurred in 1998 with the pool-play format. Last weekend, the Lightning defeated Appleton East in three sets in the Ashwaubenon Sectional final to reach the State quarterfinals. It has been 35 years since Wausau East made its only previous appearance in the State Tournament. The Lumberjacks did not place in the pool-play format that season. They experience their first match-play State Tournament after sweeping Chippewa Falls in the final of the Marshfield Sectional.
STATE MATCHES ON FOXSPORTSWISCONSIN.COM: The quarterfinals, semifinals and finals of all four divisions of the WIAA State Girls Volleyball Tournament will be streamed live on the Internet on foxsportswisconsin.com.
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.