Five Butler County volleyball teams have qualified for the WPIALplayoffs.

In Class AAA, Butler travels to Penn-Trafford for a 7:30 p.m. game Thursday. Seneca Valley travels to Norwin for a 7:30 p.m. contest Wednesday.

In Class AA, Knoch faces New Brighton at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Seneca Valley, Mars takes on South Fayette at 6 p.m. Thursday at North Allegheny and Freeport meets Montour at 6 p.m. Thursday at North Hills.

Both the Karns City boys and girls soccer teams will be in action in the District 9 Class A playoffs in a doubleheader at Karns City.KC's boys, fresh off their third straight KSAC crown, have a bye in the first round and will host the winner of the Northern Potter-Ridgway game at 6 p.m. Thursday.The girls Class AA game with Redbank Valley is at 8.

ZURICH, Switzerland — U.S. Open champion Maria Sharapova defeated Timea Bacsinszky 6-4, 6-3 Friday to reach the Zurich Open semifinals and boost her chances of finishing the year atop the world rankings.Sharapova next will play Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia, who advanced by defeating Russian Maria Kirilenko 6-3, 6-2.