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Swinging into regional
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Times photo: Anthony Wahl Monroe senior Becca Armstrong works on a hitting drill in practice on Monday. The Cheesemakers will open up the WIAA Division 2 regional at Delavan Darien tonight.

Tuesday regional matches

• Division 2: Monroe at Delavan Darien

• Division 3: Cambridge at Brodhead; New Glarus at Iowa-Grant; Darlington at Lancaster

• Division 4: Juda at Monticello; Black Hawk at Randolph; Albany at Central Wisconsin Christian; Argyle at Belmont; Pecatonica at River Ridge

MONROE - Cheesemaker volleyball coach Danya Ward will have a homecoming of sorts when Monroe plays at Delavan Darien, her alma mater, in a regional quarterfinal tonight.

The Cheesemakers (10-21) are looking to end Comets' season as they get a get a rematch against Delavan Darien at 7 p.m. today in a WIAA Division 2 regional quarterfinal in Delavan with the winner advancing to play the winner of No. 1 seed Big Foot and No. 16 seed Beloit Turner.

"I'm looking forward to playing Delavan because that is where I went to high school," Ward said. "I think they (Monroe) will be fired up for them."

The Cheesemakers played Delavan Darien at the Mount Horeb Invitational earlier this year. Monroe senior Becca Armstrong missed the match and junior Taylor Barrett played, despite being ill.

"I think they (Delavan Darien) are very beatable as long as we show up and play our game and not like we have the last couple of matches," Monroe senior Heather Barta said. "It's very sad to know that my volleyball career is coming to an end."

The Cheesemakers snapped a 27-conference match losing streak by pulling out a win against Monona Grove last week.

"The girls have some pretty high expectations when it comes to our opponent," Ward said. "Going into regionals, it definitely helps to play top competition. It only makes us better."

Regional quarterfinals are being played tonight, Oct. 16, and regional semifinals are slated for Thursday. In Division 3, Brodhead earned a No. 6 seed and will host Cambridge. New Glarus received a No. 9 seed and will play eighth-seeded Iowa-Grant in Livingston, and Darlington - a No. 16 seed - will open up the tournament at No. 1 seed Lancaster.

Brodhead lost to Cambridge in the Janesville Parker tournament at the start of the season. Brodhead junior Carly Mohns has returned after recovering from a torn ACL to give the Cardinals another hitter who can attack at the net.

"We are excited to host," Brodhead coach Erin Kammerer said. "I think our team has peaked at the end of the year."

Kammerer said one of the keys against the Blue Jays will be limiting outside hitter Monica Muth.

"We will have to shut her down and serve tough," Kammerer said.

Monticello is the No. 4 seed in the Division 4 sectional 4 bracket. The Ponies will host No. 13 seed Juda. If Monticello can knock off Juda for the fifth time this season, the Ponies would play the winner of Albany and Central Wisconsin Christian on Thursday. The Ponies enter the postseason as one of the hottest teams riding a nine-match winning streak.

"In tournament time, anything can happen," Monticello coach Scott Smice said. "You have to leave it all out on the floor."

The Ponies have defeated the Panthers four times this season including two conference matches.

"We are not taking them for granted at all," Smice said. "We definitely have enough firepower to get to the regional championship."

Black Hawk received a No. 11 seed and will open at No. 6 seed Randolph. Albany received a No. 12 seed and will open at No. 5 seed Central Wisconsin Christian (Waupun).

If the Ponies can get to the regional title match, they would likely play No. 1 seed Burlington Catholic Central.

"They are a powerhouse again and the favorite," Smice said. "We are on a roll. The kids are playing well and the seniors definitely don't want their season to end."

Argyle received a No. 10 seed in the Division 4 sectional 3 and will play at No. 7 seed Belmont. Pecatonica received a No. 13 seed and will play at No. 4 seed River Ridge.