The WIAA prep volleyball playoffs begin tonight with a number of area matches across the swnews4u.com coverage area.

    A number of area teams are hoping for lengthy postseason runs, including Platteville, Richland Center and Lancaster, who shared this year's Southwest Wisconsin Conference title with indentical 8-2 league records.

   The Hillmen, who won a share of their first conference title since 1994 with a 3-1 victory over Lancaster last Thursday, earned a No. 2 seed in the Division 2 Richland Center sectional and will open at home against No. 7 Beloit Turner in the lower bracket of the sectional.

   The Hornets earned a No. 1 seed and a first-round bye in the top bracket of the sectional. They will host the winner of tonight's No. 4 Wisconsin Dells vs. No. 5 Prairie du Chien match-up.

   The Arrows earned a No. 3 seed in the Division 3 Riverdale sectional and will host No. 6 Riverdale.

   Southwestern Activities Leauge co-champion Fennimore is the No. 2 seed in Lancaster's bracket and will host No. 7 New Glarus. Fellow SWAL co-champ Southwestern drew a No. 2 seed in the Deerfield sectional and will open at home against No. 7 Darlington.

   Six Rivers West co-champion River Ridge (18-1 overall) earned the top seed in the D4 Boscobel sectional, by virtue of its victory over fellow SRW champ Potosi, and will host No. 8 Shullsburg.

   Potosi drew the No. 2 seed in the River Ridge bracket and will host No. 7 Wauzeka-Steuben.

   Tonight's other area first-round match-ups are listed below.

DIVISION 2 
Richland Center Sectional
Regional A
No. 1 Richland Center has a bye
No. 5 Prairie du Chien @ No. 4 Wisconsin Dells
No. 6 Viroqua @ No. 3 Reedsburg
No. 7 Mauston @ No. 2 River Valley
Regional B
No. 1 Edgerton has a bye
No. 5 Dodgeville @ No. 4 Monroe
No. 6 Evansville @ No. 3 Mt. Horeb
No. 7 Beloit Turner @ No. 2 Platteville

DIVISION 3
Riverdale Sectional
Regional B
No. 8 Boscobel @ No. 1 Wisconsin Heights
No. 5 Belleville @ No. 4 Iowa-Grant
No. 6 Riverdale @ No. 3 Lancaster
No. 7 New Glarus @ No. 2 Fennimore

Deerfield Sectional
Regional B
No. 8 Cambridge @ No. 1 Deerfield
No 5 Parkview @ No. 4 Brodhead
No. 6 Mineral Point @ No. 3 Cuba City
No. 7 Darlington @ No. 2 Southwestern

DIVISION 4
Boscobel Sectional
Regional A
No. 8 Shullsburg @ No. 1 River Ridge
No. 5 Cassville @ No. 4 North Crawford
No. 6 Benton @ No. 3 Seneca
No. 7 Wauzeka-Steuben @ No. 2 Potosi
Regional B
No. 8 Weston @ No. 1 Wonewoc-Center
No. 5 Belmont @ No. 4 Barneveld
No. 6 Pecatonica @ No. 3 Highland
No. 7 Ithaca @ No. 2 Argyle

Brookwood Sectional
Regional B
No. 8 Youth Initiative @ No. 1 Hillsboro
No. 5 Cashton @ No. 4 Kickapoo
No. 6 Brookwood @ No. 3 Royall
No. 7 La Farge @ No. 2 De Soto

Williams Bay Sectional
Regional B
No. 1 Catholic Central has a bye
No. 5 Williams Bay @ No. 4 Black Hawk
No. 6 Albany @ No. 3 Faith Christian
No. 7 Juda @ No. 2 Monticello