(3) Vermilion vs. (1) Bishop Hartley
What: Division II regional semifinal
When: 7 p.m., Nov. 3
Where: Galion, 472 Portland Way N.
Records: Vermilion 22-3, Bishop Hartley 25-1
Vermilion’s path: def. Mansfield, 3-0, Bellevue, 3-0, Lexington, 3-1 and Millbury Lake, 3-2
Bishop Hartley’s path: def. Hebron Lakewood, 3-0, Columbus, 3-0, Hamilton Township, 3-0 and Columbus Bexley, 3-0
On deck: Winner advances to the Galion Regional final to play Liberty-Benton or Gilmour.
Outlook: Vermilion has proven to be a tough out in its third year under Coach Kara Coffman. The Sailors came back from two sets down to defeat state-ranked Millbury Lake in five sets. They may have met their match against Columbus Hartley, which entered the Division II state tournament as the coaches’ poll champs. They have lost one match, which was to D-I powerhouse Columbus Watterson in five sets. However, the Hawks beats them less than two weeks later in four sets. They run a two-setter system with underclassmen Kaylee Musick (5.4 assists per set) and Mallory Matheny (4.9). Bishop Hartley’s presence at the net is led by Eloise Brandewie, who averages four kills per set and 1.4 blocks per set. The senior captain stands at 6-foot-3. Her 6-foot-2 sophomore teammate Kathryn Mclane can also hold down the middle. The question is going to come down to how Vermilion can hit over their wall. If they can find success in that area and keep them out of system, the Sailors could possibly make another elite-eight appearance.
Perez’s pick: Columbus Hartley
