Fans attending Tuesday night’s Hornet volleyball home opener should be prepared for a long night ?” oh, and be prepared for the heat.

Sacramento State (1-2) opens its home schedule Tuesday at 7 p.m. against Santa Clara (0-0) ?” a club Debby Colberg’s team has battled to five games each of the last two times they’ve met. The Broncos proved victorious each time, but Colberg hopes the experienced gained last weekend in playing No. 18 San Diego and No. 24 Long Beach State will help her Hornets going into their home opener.

“They found out they can compete at a very high level this weekend,” Colberg said. “I’m sure they’ll be eager to take the floor under conditions they’re used to in front of our own crowd.”

Broncos sixth-year coach Jon Wallace has never lost a match to the Hornets, but nonetheless knows what it’s like taking his team into the Nest ?” an intimate arena with an infamously archaic ventilation system.

“(Sac State) is a tough team to beat in their gym,” Wallace said. “We could go in there and it could well be 100 degrees, they’re used to that while we’re not.

“If we can escape with a five-game victory, I’ll be happy as can be,” Wallace said.

The Broncos-Hornets all-time series has been a competitive one with Santa Clara holding a 12-10 overall edge, but just eight of 22 total meetings have ended in sweeps, the last coming in 2000.

Wallace notched his 100th career victory the last time Santa Clara traveled to Sacramento on Sept. 30, 2003. Led by then-senior Becky Potter’s 23 kills and 20 digs, the Broncos earned a thrilling five-game victory 3-2, (30-26, 23-30, 30-28, 20-30, 15-11).

Last season both teams met for their season openers at Santa Clara’s Leavey Center and Toni and Annalisa Muratore combined for 35 kills for the Broncos as once again the Hornets lost in five games 3-2, (30-27, 27-30, 30-28, 27-30, 15-9).

Toni Muratore, a senior on last year’s squad, is now gone and according to Wallace, little sister Annalisa will not start tonight because of a nagging injury.

Sac State looks to be at full strength for the home opener, sporting a regular rotation ten players deep including 2003 Big Sky Libero of the Year Kristin Lutes and 2004 Big Sky Outstanding Freshman, middle hitter Lindsay Haupt.

“(Sac State) is a little better than they were last year and they always tend to compete over their heads,” Wallace said. “Their returners are really good, especially (Shannon) Roland and Atlee Hubbard.”

Roland and Hubbard, both junior outside hitters, paced the Hornets attack over the weekend at the Mizuno Classic in Long Beach, between the two of them leading the team in kills in each of their three matches.

In her two years previous with the program Roland, a native of Auburn and a former Del Oro High star, had not started a match and saw scarce playing time despite having by far the hardest swing on the team. Colberg said her play this weekend was encouraging.

“I feel 200 times more confident than I have in the past,” Roland said. “I’ve had two years to learn (from the coaches) and this weekend was a big confidence boost to show that I can keep up with some top teams.”

And what about that heat?

“At that point it’s just you, your team and the ball,” Roland said of competing against the muggy conditions in the Nest. “It sucks, but it’s there”