Volleyball: A view from the other side

As most of you know, four area volleyball teams are at the state final four this week. In case you don't have the schedule, here it is:

Today
Class 2A semifinal
Tampa Prep (15-13) vs. Miami Palmer Trinity (26-8), 6 p.m.; winner plays Tallahassee Maclay or Orlando First Academy on Thursday at 2 p.m.
Class 6A semifinal
Countryside (29-0) vs. Orlando Timber Creek (29-2), 8 p.m.; winner plays Royal Palm Beach or Miami Palmetto on Thursday at 7 p.m.

Friday
Class 3A
Berkeley Prep (27-2) vs. Miami Florida Christian (28-2), 4 p.m.; winner plays Jacksonville Bolles or Orlando Lake Highland Prep on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
Class 5A
Plant (27-3) vs. Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (24-5), 8 p.m.; winner plays Lake Howell or Tallahassee Leon on Saturday at 5 p.m.

For those wanting to learn a little more about the opponents -- and potential opponents -- these squads face, here's what I found:

• Miami Herald: Florida Christian girls' volleyball has another shot at state
• Miami Herald: Aquinas volleyball team reloads, heads back to state
• Sun-Sentinel: St. Thomas Aquinas, Cardinal Gibbons back in state girls' volleyball tournament
• Orlando Sentinel: Timber Creek volleyball knocks off defending state champ
• Tallahassee Democrat: Maclay benefiting from Beckers
• Tallahassee Democrat: Leon defeats Eastside to advance to state
• Palm Beach Post: "The Three Freshmen," now seniors, lead Royal Palm Beach
• Miami Herald: Palmetto advances to Lakeland

--KEITH NIEBUHR