Plenty of storylines to go around from Monday night, so I'll go ahead and hit some of the big ones:

- Haylie Franklin is really, really good at many things volleyball. Have you ever heard of a triple-double - 20 kills, 15 digs, 10 service aces - in a high school volleyball match? How about in the playoffs? And how about needing just four, not five, games to do it? That's what Franklin did Monday night at Cedar Rapids Jefferson. Not a bad way to catch the attention of some Big Ten Conference or other D-I schools.

Unfortunately, it's every bit bittersweet for the 6-foot ponytailed middle blocker. Franklin certainly went out on top from a personal statistical standpoint; but I'm sure she'd rather be playing Thursday. Muscatine got upended in four games by the J-Hawks, which went winless in eight Mississippi Valley Conference matches. Hopefully, that's not an ominous sign for the rest of the MAC.

Didn't get a chance to speak with Muskies coach Laura Proffitt after the match, but I did catch up with Muscatine Journal editor Matt Coss Monday night, and he said the same thing I had been thinking: Muscatine just didn't have a tough enough non-conference slate to prepare itself for the postseason. When you go 24-2 in tournaments, but just 5-4 in the MAC, that kind of speaks volumes. Coss suggested that Proffitt has said she'll be looking to face more of the Iowa Citys and the Dubuques in 2010 and beyond, which would certainly help that Muskie program improve further.

But they lose so many seniors this year - Franklin, libero Jordan Walgren, blocker Emily Hasken, setter Julie Wunder and on and on and on - that Muscatine will have to rebuild quickly.

- Mark Massey must be having the time of his life up north. Massey is the soft-spoken Clinton coach of over 30 years, and has had more than his fair share of successes with the River Queens - a pair of state runner-up years, four MAC titles and the like. But last year, Clinton struggled to a 10-16 overall record and languished in the middle of the conference. The River Queens certainly improved this season, thanks to the contributions of seniors Mallory Voss, Ashley Haugen, Paige Dehner and a host of juniors.

But near the end of the season, nobody came on more than the coach's senior daughter, Sarah Massey. She landed in the top three in the conference in digs, had one of the finest serve percentages in the league and led the Queens with 2.72 kills per match.

However, she picked a great time to have "a career night", as Dad put it. Monday night against North Scott, Sarah put up 15 kills, 17 digs and five aces to help Clinton move on to the regional semis with a five-game win (six days after the Lancers won a five-game thriller in the regular season finale, on that same Clinton court).

The Lancers were in complete control - winning the first two games, including a 25-12 thrashing in game 2 - but Clinton didn't panic, and came all the way back. Mark Massey acknowledged, fairly, that it has been a total team effort the whole way. But you can tell he's enjoyed watching his daughter thrive in these big matches.

"As a father, you're proud. As a coach, you're proud and happy," Massey said Monday night. "She's really been coming on the last month of the season, playing with a lot more confidence. Everything she did (tonight) was needed for us."

So then late Monday night, I'm looking over the notes from this season and Clinton's regional quarterfinal win. And I noticed something that didn't get mentioned in Tuesday's paper.

Coming into this season, Massey has accrued 686 coaching victories. Monday's win over North Scott advanced the River Queens to 14-12 this year.

Sarah Massey's career night helped Mark Massey reach a milestone: his 700th career win. How appropriate is that?

Something tells me that even if Clinton can't upset No. 4 Dubuque Hempstead on Thursday, Mr. Massey will look back on this season with pride.

- Look up the term "Wait 'til next year" in the cliche dictionary. You'll see North Scott's team picture next to the description.

Yeah, the Lancers are losing key seniors Courtney Holmes, Chloe Gumpert, Kayla Hamilton, Zoey Cawiezell, Courtney Nagle and the Buchman twins. But they've got a growing freshman setter in Hannah Lindaman, a 6-foot-4 freshman blocker with Kaycee Kallenberger and a few other younger players that came through during the season. Plus, people keep gushing about first-year coach Jen Kremer and how the Pleasant Valley product will have success in Eldridge.

Oh, and while you can't put TOO much stock into sophomore results (since some teams promote their younger players), the Lancer sophomores were 6-3 this year, bested only by Bettendorf and PV. Just saying.

- Speaking of which ... Davenport West may have only won a couple of matches this year, but the Falcons only graduate four seniors, and their sophs went 5-4. Help could certainly be on the way for Verne Keeney's squad.

- Pleasant Valley is ready to roll after some tough losses. Don't take my word for it. Take our resident blogger's. Emily Podschweit will also have one more post up on Varsity Voices Wednesday night, speaking for the MAC as a group.

Thursday's regional semifinal matches (all serving it up at 7 p.m.)

Iowa Class 4A Region 7

No. 11 Davenport Central (18-9) at No. 14 Bettendorf (21-10)

Clinton (14-12) at No. 4 Dubuque Hempstead (30-4)

Iowa Class 4A Region 8

Burlington (15-13) at Pleasant Valley (17-12)

Iowa Class 3A Region 7

Davenport Assumption (9-20) vs. No. 6 Dubuque Wahlert (21-13) at Maquoketa

Five players to watch Thursday night

Michelle Ames, Central, So., 5-9, OH. It seems like every time Central's scores are called in, Ames is good for double digit kills. Keeping it up against the Bulldogs would be essential to winning again in Bettendorf.

Bettendorf's starting middle blocker. Will it be Megan Hayes, back from injury? Or will the Melissa Dunlavy-Kristina McKenna-Kelsey Coots group be called upon to do battle with Central's blockers?

Stacy Clark. Reinforcements on the block have been present with Kailey Bueker, Megan Staub, et al. But ultimately, it's up to Clark to monitor that middle.

Mallory Voss. As mentioned, Sarah Massey has been huge down the stretch for the River Queens. But Voss' blocking (0.69 per game) and serving (0.72 aces) has been just as essential to Clinton's success.

Mackenzie Akers. She and Becka Otting combined for 28 kills Monday to beat Maquoketa. Dubuque Wahlert, on a neutral court, would be a signature win for the Knights.

Plus, don't forget about the regional semifinals going on in Moline Thursday. Top seed Moline will take on No. 4 Pekin, and No. 2 Quincy will tangle with No. 3 United Township. The winners will play for a sectional berth Saturday afternoon, and I'll be there for that one.

Oh, and look for our first volleyball video of the year from Central-Bettendorf, courtesy of our video guru, Doug Green.

That concludes the Prep Talk. Now go out there and play every point like it's your last.