Prep Volleyball: Races for MVC divisional crowns get started tonight

A free-for-all.That's how Kathy Bresnahan handicaps the volleyball race in the Mississippi Valley Conference Mississippi Division this season.“It's going to be fun, especially this division. It's going to be a free-for-all this year,” said Bresnahan, the coach at Iowa City West.The race's gun goes off tonight, with a full slate of seven matches, including two biggies. Class 4A 10th-rated Cedar Rapids Washington travels to No. 7 Iowa City High while No. 6 Waterloo East hosts 3A No. 9 Dubuque Wahlert.Six of the top 10 teams in 4A are MVC members. Four of the top seven (No. 2 Cedar Rapids Kennedy, No. 3 West, No. 5 Dubuque Hempstead and City High) reside in the Mississippi Division.Washington and East are the co-favorites in the Valley Division. The MVC schedule consists of eight matches per school, so each one is critical.“The only (match) that matters is the next one you play,”said Washington Coach Kari Lombardi.Washington (6-0 overall, 0-0 MVC) won its Warrior Invitational - the first time it has captured its own tournament in 18 tries - Saturday while City High (6-0, 1-0) won the Little Hawk Tournament.West (8-0, 1-0) claimed the Marshalltown Invitational. The Women of Troy and Kennedy (3-0, 0-0) were impressive at the MVC-MAC showdown Thursday.Marion's ‘tools in place'It's top two hitters from last year's 3A state-championship team have graduated.But setter Morgan Paige is back, and according to Marion Coach Roxanne Paulsen, the goals remain the same.“With the right circumstances, we want to push toward getting back to state,” Paulsen said. “Our tools are in place. If things fall together, some really good things could happen.”If Saturday was an indication, it's difficult to argue. Class 3A fifth-rated Marion (5-1) opened with a runner-up finish at the Warrior Invitational at Cedar Rapids Washington.Paige is a dual setting/hitting threat, and JoAnna Forkner emerged Saturday as the Indians' top offensive weapon.“We're going to look a little different from last year without Sam (Rinehart) and Brittney (Thomas), but our strengths will be the same,” Paulsen said. “Our seniors have stepped up, and I think we'll be pretty solid defensively.”