Eight area prep volleyball teams hit the court again today as the section playoffs resume with sub-section semifinal matches.
Only New London-Spicer and Morris/Chokio-Alberta - both in 3AA-North - will have home-court advantage as five local squads will be at a neutral site. NLS (23-5), the No. 1 seed, hosts No. 5 Montevideo (12-10) at 7 p.m., and the defending champion and No. 2-seeded Tigers (18-8) play No. 3 Redwood Valley (23-5) at 7:30 p.m. in the Morris Area Elementary School gymnasium. The winners will play for the title on Thursday at 7 p.m. at a site to be determined.
In 2A-North, No. 1 Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart and No. 2 BOLD - the three-time defending North champions - will be playing in two separate matches at Glencoe. The Mustangs (19-10) start things off by playing No. 5 Mankato Loyola (13-11) at 6 p.m. The Warriors (13-12) and No. 3 Nicollet (13-11) will then cap the night starting at approximately 7:45 p.m. Mankato West High School will then host the winners at 6 p.m. on Thursday in the title match.
The 3A-North tournament, which features 14 Camden Conference teams, is also down to its final four at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall. Today’s first match at 6 p.m. pits No. 1 Central Minnesota Christian (26-6) vs. No. 5 Lakeview (12-16). At 7:30 p.m. five-time defending section champion and No. 2 Minneota (20-8) will take on No. 3 Dawson-Boyd (16-9). SMSU will also be the site for the final, slated to start at 7:30 p.m., on Thursday.
Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa (16-12) will travel north on Highway 71 to Long Prairie to resume its quest to qualify for the state tournament for the first time since 2010. The Jaguars, awarded the 5A-South’s No. 1 seed in Pod One, meet No. 3-P2 Verndale (21-9) at 7:30 p.m. The first semifinal features No. 1-P2 Browerville (21-5) and No. 2-P1 Kimball (16-11). The winners will battle for the title on Thursday starting at 6 p.m. at Pierz High School.
