Harper prepares for Region IV tourney

Entering the NJCAA Division III, Region IV tournament, third-seeded Harper College enters women's volleyball's second season as winners in eight of its last 10 matchups.

Visiting Milwaukee Area Technical College (5-16), the sixth seed, is at the other end of the spectrum for Wednesday's 6 p.m. matchup.

On paper, the race to the Region IV tournament final looks like a three-team race in a six-team field, with top-seeded Rock Valley, second-seeded Madison College and Harper leading the way.

The Hawks (33-12) will lean on three members of the all-Region IV team - Meghan Chartier (Buffalo Grove), Daniele Sortino (Elk Grove) and Sara Berggren (Barrington).

If the Hawks are able to take care of business against Milwaukee, they'll earn a noon semifinal against Rock Valley (24-4), which earned a quarterfinal bye. The Golden Eagles have been victorious twice against the Hawks this fall, and Harper has only managed to take two sets against the them.

Harper has fared a bit better against Madison, which will meet the winner of Tuesday night's other quarterfinal between College of DuPage and Joliet Junior College, played in Glen Ellyn, which will also be the site for Saturday's semifinals and title game.

Fifth-seeded COD finished the regular season 12-10, while the Wolves were 5-30.

The Region IV finale is set for 5 p.m. Saturday. The winner advances to the NJCAA Divsion III national tournament in Rochester, Minn., Nov. 13-14.