Eight semifinal matches went the full five sets, including both showdowns in the Division 1 sectional at Middleton and the Division 4 tournament at Cashton on Thursday night.
Middleton won its battle of Cardinals against Sun Prairie, winning the clincher 15-6. Meanwhile, Madison West reached Saturday’s finale in a match decided by a combined 15 points against Madison Memorial as neither team won by more than five points. The Regents pulled out the fifth game 18-16.
At Cashton, Spring Valley and Potosi survived and will square off to see who reaches the state tournament at the Resch Center in Green Bay.
Spring Valley overcame a 2-1 deficit to win the last two games by 26-24, and 17-17 scores, while Potosi won its see-saw encounter against Weston by a 15-9 margin in the deciding game.
Defending D-1 champion Watertown also escape in five games, downing Mequon Homestead 25-21 and 18-16 in the last two games of the Hartford Sectional.
In Division 3, defending state champion and top-ranked Wisconsin Heights each won in straight sets and will meet in the sectional final for a third consecutive year as the Vanguards hope to end two years of heartbreak.
Division 1
Middleton Sectional
Middleton def. Sun Prairie 15-25, 25-7, 25-10, 24-26, 15-6
Madison West def. Madison Memorial 25-22, 20-25, 25-23, 22-25, 18-16
Lake Geneva Badger Sectional
Burlington def. Oregon 25-18, 25-16, 25-22
Kenosha Tremper def. Westosha Central 20-25, 25-21, 25-10, 25-14
Beaver Dam Sectional
West Bend East def. Beaver Dam 26-24, 21-25, 25-23, 26-24
West Bend West def. Oshkosh West 25-23, 25-27, 25-19, 26-28, 15-5
Hartford Sectional
Menomonee Falls def. Arrowhead 25-19, 27-25, 25-13
Watertown def. Homestead 18-25, 25-15, 19-25, 25-21, 18-16
Kaukauna Sectional
Kaukauna def. De Pere 25-20, 25-21, 25-18
Manitowoc Lincoln def. Kimberly 20-25, 25-19, 25-22, 25-16
Waterford Sectional
Muskego def. Wauwatosa West 25-15, 25-15, 25-16
Franklin def. Greenfield 19-25, 25-11, 25-11, 27-25
D.C. Everest Sectional
Eau Claire North def. Chippewa Falls 25-11, 25-17, 25-12
D.C. Everest def. Merrill 25-18, 25-20, 19-25, 25-17
Pius XI Sectional
Pius XI def. Oak Creek 25-14, 25-19, 25-2
Divine Savior Holy Angels def. Nicolet 24-26, 25-18, 25-18, 26-24
Division 2
Fort Atkinson Sectional
Brodhead def. River Valley 25-22, 25-19, 25-20
Madison Edgewood def. Greendale 25-19, 23-25, 25-12, 25-13
Whitefish Bay Sectional
Kettle Moraine Lutheran def. Sheboygan Falls 25-8, 25-15, 25-15
Catholic Memorial def. St. Thomas More 25-6, 25-16, 25-14
Medford Sectional
Rice Lake def. Hayward 12-25, 22-25, 25-16, 25-18, 16-14
Medford def. West Salem 25-21, 25-21, 25-11
Little Chute Sectional
Waupun def. Clintonville 25-6, 25-13, 25-14
Appleton Xavier def. Wrightstown 25-14, 25-13, 25-16
Division 3
Mineral Point Sectional
Wisconsin Heights def. La Crosse Aquinas 25-9, 25-12, 25-17
Cuba City def. Dodgeland 25-12, 25-17, 25-14
Howards Grove Sectional
Sheboygan Lutheran def. Laconia 25-17, 25-16, 24-26, 25-19
Shoreland Lutheran def. Oostburg 23-25, 25-23, 25-20, 25-18
Osseo-Fairchild Sectional
Grantsburg def. Washburn 25-22, 25-21, 25-22
Eau Claire Regis def. Melrose-Mindoro 25-19, 25-9, 25-21
Marathon Sectional
Newman Catholic def. Colby 23-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-18, 16-14
Mishicot def. Manawa 25-21, 25-7, 25-20
Division 4
Cashton Sectional
Spring Valley def. Royall 17-25, 26-24, 19-25, 26-24, 17-15
Potosi def. Weston 25-8, 22-25, 25-17, 23-25, 15-9
Arrowhead Sectional
Sheboygan Christian def. Hustisford 25-23, 26-24, 30-28
Catholic Central def. Cambria-Friesland 25-14, 25-16, 25-15
Clayton Sectional
Mellen def. Shell Lake 25-23, 25-17, 25-20
Clayton def. Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran
Wausau West Sectional
Rosholt def. Athens 25-18, 25-23, 25-15
Wausaukee def. Wabeno 25-16, 25-21, 25-22