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The Division 2 State volleyball semifinals both went one-two-three and took less than an hour to complete as Xavier and Catholic Memorial picked up sweeps to move onto the final round. The two will match up Saturday at 3 p.m.



Xavier 3, Sauk Prairie 0



Box Score



Xavier's offense ran like a machine Friday afternoon in a Division 2 State seminal match at the Resch Center, as the Hawks made quick work of an upset-minded Sauk Prairie team by scores of 25-14, 25-11, and 25-12.



The Hawks got 10 kills from junior Right Side Hitter Brooke Schowalter, as four other Xavier players registered a kill. Senior Middle Hitter Carlye Schuh was solid also, tallying seven kills and five total blocks.



Xavier picked apart the Eagle defense, having its way at the net. Sauk Prairie was stuffed eight times, while failed to earn one itself.



Game Ball: Senior setter Emily Downey assisted on 34 of the Hawks' 39 kills and did an excellent job of spreading around the offense. Downey also dug a team-high 15 attacks and added 2 block assists to her statline.



Catholic Memorial 3, Tomahawk 0



Box Score



Tomahawk's first trip to the Division 2 State tournament was a rough one, as the Hatchets were simply overmatched against Catholic Memorial. The Crusaders swept Tomahawk 25-15, 25-14, 25-17 to make a return trip the finals, in hopes of claiming their first gold since 2002.



Catholic Memorial was led by 6'3" junior Middle Hitter Kelli Browning, who simply dominated the Hatchets' defense in registering 13 kills on .632 hitting. Tomahawk had no answer for Browning, who swung over, around and through any Hatchet block that it could put up.



Senior setter Diane McLeod moved the ball well for Memorial, catching the Hatchets on their heels early and often. Six total players earned a kill on 27 of McLeod's assists, as the Crusaders hit .329 as a team.



The Hatchets also had troubles receiving the ball, as Catholic Memorial tallied seven aces in the match.



Tomahawk, a team with no senior on the roster, was led by Outside Hitter Kaitlin Doughty's nine kills.



Game Ball: The only thing going to stop Kelli Browning is herself. Browning's 13 kills, four blocks and two aces in the semifinal are a testament to her 6'3" stature and overall athleticism. Not only is she tall, she has great lift and can really sail over the block, making her a tough Middle to face.



Finals Preview



The Division 2 State final should be a dogfight, as the teams combined records include losses to four Division 1 state semifinalists in Burlington, Kaukauna, Muskego and Middleton. The Hawks boast great balance with several offensive weapons, while Catholic Memorial has similar capabilities but has a stud in Browning in the Middle. Xavier must find a way to contain Browning, otherwise it could spell trouble. Likewise, the Crusaders must be big on the left side of the floor, as the Xavier offense likes to use the Right Side Hitters and Middles for easy points.