Familiarity breeds respect.

Don't think so?

Ask the coaches of the Kennedy and Iowa City West volleyball teams that will meet each other for the third straight year in the semifinals of the state volleyball tournament Friday at noon at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena.

West holds the upper hand against the Cougars. The Women of Troy ousted Kennedy from the semifinals in each of the last two seasons and also own a regular season win over the Cougars this year. West won the Class 4A state title last year.

"We like the Kennedy kids," said Iowa City West Coach Kathy Bresnahan, whose club brings a 37-6 record and No. 1 ranking into Friday's match. "I'd rather play somebody we know, where you respect the kids, respect the coaching staff.

"I love Allie Hutcheson and I've liked competing against her and Kennedy."

Hutcheson is Kennedy's key cog, a senior setter with a vicious left-handed smash on kills and height to block at the net. She plays on the Iowa Rockets club volleyball team that includes several players from West.

"All of our kids are great friends with their kids," said Kennedy Coach Michelle Goodall, whose Cougars are 30-9 and ranked No. 7. "(And)  Kathy and I are great friends."

Friendly rivals.

"It's nothing like 'g-r-r-r-r,' " Goodall said. "It's not like that at all."

And just because West has held the upper hand doesn't mean the Cougars aren't ready to lay down a challenge.

"I am extremely pumped to play Iowa City West," Hutcheson said. "They have that target on their back that we really just want to nail. We are so hungry to beat them, especially in the semis like this because they're gotten us the last two years. I really think this is the year for us."

"We're ready to play," Goodall said. "It's going to be a great battle."

If it's anything like the last two years, it could be epic. West beat the Cougars in five sets in 2009 -- including a 15-13 decision in the final set -- and four sets last season.

"We have some unfinished business from the last few years," Kennedy junior Lexi Rogers said. "I think we'll come out strong."

The Cougars came out strong in beating Dubuque Hempstead in three sets Wednesday. Kennedy rolled to a 25-9 win in the first set, then won 25-21 and 25-15.

West whipped Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln, 25-20, 25-15, 25-20.

"Typically, we don't play a good first match here and we get better as we go along," Bresnahan said. "I thought we played better than I thought we were going to. It was methodical, nothing exciting."

Both teams are playing some of their best volleyball of the season. Kennedy has won seven straight matches and West has won 11 in a row.

"I like the matchup with West," Goodall said. "What else can be better? Two MVC schools in a semifinal at state. I think that's awesome."

The winner plays the winner of the other semifinal between Iowa City High and Ankeny for the Class 4A state title on Saturday at 11 a.m. City High and Ankeny play at 1:30 p.m., after the completion of the Kennedy-West match.