Merrimack, H/B top two seeds in D1 volleyball tournament

The Merrimack High School volleyball team leads 10 area teams into the playoffs, which are scheduled to start on Wednesday.

The Tomahawks (17-1) are the top seed in Division I, and are joined by Hollis/Brookline, Bishop Guertin, Nashua North, Nashua South and Alvirne in the playoffs.

In Division II, Bedford is the top local seed, finishing fifth, while Milford and Souhegan also advanced to the postseason, which will start on Thursday.

Division I

Merrimack, which lost only to Pinkerton during the regular season, will open the playoffs as the No. 1 seed when it hosts No. 16 Exeter (4-14) on Wednesday at 6 p.m. The teams played in the first match of the season on Sept. 6, with the Tomahawks winning 3-0.

The winner of that match will take on either No. 8 Goffstown (13-5) or No. 9 Concord (11-7), who also play Wednesday, in the quarterfinals on Saturday.

Nashua North (14-4) is the fourth seed and will play host to No. 13 Spaulding (6-12) at 6 p.m. Wednesday. The Titans beat the Red Raiders during the regular season, 3-2 on Sept. 12.

The winner will get to face either No. 5 Pinkerton (14-4) or No. 12 Alvirne (6-12) in the quarterfinals. The Broncos lost to the Astros fell to the Astros in their only meeting, 3-1 on Oct. 12.

On the other side of the bracket, Hollis/Brookline (16-2) is the No. 2 seed and will play host to No. 15 Winnacunnet (6-12) at 6 p.m. on Wednesday. The Cavaliers have won 13 matches in a row entering the playoffs, including a 3-0 win over the Warriors on Oct. 3

The winner will take on either No. 7 Nashua South (13-5) or No. 10 Dover (11-7) in the quarterfinals.  The Panthers and the Green Wave did not meet during the regular season.

Bishop Guertin (14-4) is the sixth seed and the Cardinals will host a first-round match against No. 11 Londonderry (8-10), the defending division champions. Bishop Guertin won the regular-season meeting, 3-1 on Oct. 7.

The winner will face either No. 3 Salem (15-3) or No. 14 Timberlane (6-12) in the quarterfinals.

All quarterfinal matches are scheduled for Saturday at 6 p.m. at the home of the higher seed. The semifinals are set for Nov. 2 at Pinkerton, starting at 5:30 p.m., while the final is scheduled for Nov. 5 at 7 p.m., also at Pinkerton.

Division II

No. 5 Bedford (13-3) is the top local seed in the tournament and the Bulldogs will host No. 12 Souhegan (6-10) in the first round Thursday at 6 p.m. Bedford won the lone regular-season meeting, 3-0 on Sept. 9. The winner will face either No. 4 Oyster River (13-3) or No. 13 Laconia (4-12) in the quarterfinals on Saturday.

Gilford (16-0) is the top seed and the Golden Eagles will host No. 16 Kingswood (2-14) in the opening round. The winner will face either No. 8 Coe-Brown (9-7) or No. 9 Hanover (8-8) in the quarterfinals.

On the other side of the bracket, Milford (8-8) is the 10th seed and the Spartans will travel to face No. 7 Plymouth (10-6) on Thursday. The winner of that match will take on either No. 2 St. Thomas (16-2) or No. 15 Kennett (4-12) in the quarterfinals.

No. 3 Windham (14-3) will take on No. 14 Portsmouth (4-12) in a first-round match on Thursday, with the winner moving on to face either No. 6 Somersworth (10-6) or No. 11 Pelham (7-9) in the quarterfinals.

All quarterfinal matches are scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday at the home of the higher seed. The semifinals are set for Nov. 1 at Pinkerton, starting at 5:30 p.m., while the final will be Nov. 5 at 5 p.m., also at Pinkerton.

Division III

Wilton-Lyndeborough (3-13) snuck into the postseason as the 16th seed and will travel to face No. 1 Winnisquam (15-1) in the first round on Thursday. The Warriors lost to the Bears twice during the regular season, losing 3-0 on Sept. 2 and 3-0 on Oct. 21.

The winner of that match will face either No. 8 Nute (10-6) or No 9 Campbell (10-6) in the quarterfinals. Nute won both regular-season meetings between the teams, 3-1 on Oct. 10 and 3-0 on Oct. 14.

No. 4 Hillsboro-Deering (13-3) will host No. 13 Belmont (8-8) in the opening round, with the winner moving on to face either No. 5 Moultonborough (13-3) or No. 12 Portsmouth Christian (8-8) in the quarterfinals.

On the other side of the bracket, No. 2 Farmington (15-1) will play host to No.15 Trinity (4-12) in the first round. The winner of that match will face either No. 7 Inter-Lakes (10-6) or No. 10 Mascenic (9-7) in the quarterfinals.

No. 3 Epping (14-2) will take on No. 14 Sunapee (5-11) in the first round on Thursday, with the winner advancing to take on either No. 6 Newfound (11-5) or No. 11 Fall Mountain (9-7) in the quarterfinals.

All quarterfinal matches are scheduled for Saturday at 6 p.m. at the home of the higher seed. The semifinals are scheduled for Nov. 2 at Plymouth State, starting at 6:30 p.m., while the final will be Nov. 4 at 7 p.m., also at PSU.