Merrimack, St. Thomas, Campbell get top girls volleyball seeds

For the second straight year, the Merrimack High School girls volleyball team is the No. 1 seed going into the Division I tournament.

The Tomahawks are one of seven teams from the area in the tournament, and one of 11 girls volleyball team vying for a title.

Also getting No. 1 seeds were two undefeated teams - St. Thomas in Division II and Campbell in Division III.

Division I

Merrimack (17-1) will begin the playoffs at 6 p.m. on Wednesday when its hosts No. 16 Winnacunnet (4-14) in the Division I preliminary round. The Tomahawks defeated the Warriors during the regular season, 3-0 on Sept. 24, the first win in Merrimack's current 10-game streak.

The winner of that game will face either No. 9 Hollis Brookline (11-7), last year's champion, or No. 8 Bishop Guertin (12-6) in the quarterfinals. Those two will also play Wednesday at 6 p.m., for the second time in under a week. HB won the regular-season meeting, 3-1 on Oct. 19.

No. 4 Goffstown (14-4) hosts No. 13 Londonderry (7-11) on Wednesday, with the winner taking on either No. 12  Alvirne (9-9) or No. 5 Pinkerton (13-5) in the quarterfinals.

Salem (17-1) is the No. 2 seed and has won 17 straight matches after losing its season opener to Merrimack. The Blue Devils will host No 15 Nashua South (5-13) in the prelims on Wednesday.  Salem defeated South 3-2 on Sept. 17.The winner of that game will face either No. 7 Nashua North (12-6) or No. 10 Spaulding (10-8) in the quarterfinals. North held off Spaulding, 3-2 on Sept. 19.

No. 11 Bedford (9-9) heads to No. 6 Timberlane (13-5) for a 5 p.m. start in the opening round on Wednesday. The Owls defeated the Bulldogs during the regular season, 3-2 on Oct. 1.

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

All quarterfinal games will be held Saturday at 6 p.m. at the home of the higher seed. The semifinals are scheduled for Oct. 31, starting at 5 p.m., at Pinkerton Academy, and the final will be at 5 p.m. on Nov. 3, also at Pinkerton.

Division II

St. Thomas finished the regular season 16-0 to earn the No. 1 seed in Division II, and the Saints will host No. 16 Kennett (0-16) in the opening round at 6 p.m. on Thursday. The teams played in the season-opener on Aug. 31, with St. Thomas winning 3-0.

The winner of that game will face the winner of No. 9 Kingswood (8-8) and No. 8 Hanover (9-7) in the quarterfinals. Hanover won the lone regular-season meet, 3-2, on Sept. 7.

No. 4 Windham (12-4) will host No. 13 Souhegan (5-11) at 6 p.m. on Thursday. The Jaguars defeated the Sabers twice this season, with both matches a 3-0 final.

The winner of that game take on either No. 5 Coe-Brown (11-5) or No. 12 Laconia (5-11). Those two teams will meet in the preliminary round on Thursday.

No. 2 Gilford (15-1) will look to extend its winning streak to 14 when it hosts No. 15 Pelham (4-12) on Thursday. The two teams didn't meet during the regular season.

The winner will take on either No. 10 Fall Mountain (8-8) or No. 7 Somersworth (9-7) in the quarterfinals. Those two teams, which didn't meet during the regular season, will also play on Thursday.

No. 3 Milford (13-3) will take on No. 11 Plymouth (4-12) at 6 p.m. on Thursday in the preliminary round. Milford won the regular-season meeting 3-0 on Aug. 31.

The winner will face the winner of No. 11 Portsmouth (6-10) and No. 6 Oyster River (10-6) in the quarterfinals. Oyster River defeated Portsmouth twice during the regular season, 3-0 on Sept. 24 and 3-2 on Oct. 3.

The quarterfinals will all be held at 6 p.m. on Saturday at the home of the higher seed. The semifinals are scheduled for Oct. 30, starting at 5 p.m., at Pinkerton Academy, while the final will be at 7 p.m. on Nov. 3, also at Pinkerton.

Division III

Top-seeded Campbell (16-0) will open the tournament by hosting No. 16 Wilton-Lyndeborough (5-11) at 6 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams didn't play during the regular season. The winner of that game will take on either No. 9 Epping (10-6) or No. 8 Mascenic (11-5) in the quarterfinals.

No. 4 Hillsboro-Deering (13-3) will take on No. 13 Newfound (7-9) in the opening round on Thursday, with the winner advancing to face either No. 12 Trinity (8-8) or No. 5 Nute (13-3).

Farmington (14-2) is the No. 2 seed and will host No. 15 John Stark (5-11) in the preliminary round  on Thursday. The winner of that game will face the winner of No. 7 Portsmouth Christian (12-4) or No. 10 Belmont (9-7).

No. 3 Moultonborough (14-2) will host No. 14 Sunapee (7-9) on Thursday, with the winner advancing to face either No. 11 Inter-Lakes (8-8) or No. 6 Winnisquam (12-4) in the quarterfinals.

All quarterfinal games are scheduled for 6 p.m. on Saturday at the home of the higher seed. The semifinals will be held Oct. 31, starting at 5 p.m., at Plymouth State University, while the final will be at 7 p.m. on Nov. 2, also at PSU.