Editor’s note: With a 13-1 conference record to complement a 23-7 overall record the women of Sacramento State volleyball have earned the right to host the 2005 Big Sky Tournament, which begins Thursday night. It will be the sixth time in the last eleven years the Hornets will ‘serve’ as hosts, but the first time since 2000. In light of this The State Hornet will be providing daily content dedicated to the conference and its participants.

Today the Hornet presents its picks for the regular season awards and all-conference teams before the league office does so on Tuesday. Tomorrow look for the Big Sky’s regular season awards and all-conference teams and more exclusive content every day this week on www.statehornet.com

For the first time since 2001 Sacramento State will host the Big Sky Conference volleyball tournament ?” and this year’s battle for an automatic NCAA Tournament berth couldn’t come at a better time for coach Debby Colberg’s team.

“We should have our normal lineup (for the tournament),” Colberg said.

Junior outside hitter Lindsay Haupt is expected to return to the lineup after missing the last regular season game against Northern Arizona with back spasms. Haupt, a two-time conference player of the week this season, has led the team in blocks at 1.53 per game, placing her at No. 17 in the nation.

“Our outside hitters should be hitting with more intensity,” Colberg said.

Riding a 13-game winning streak and their first regular season Big Sky championship since 2001 the Hornets (23-7, 13-1) will have a first-round bye from Thursday’s play. Sac State will play the lowest remaining seed at 7:30 p.m. on Friday in the semifinals. No. 2-seed Portland State will face the highest remaining seed at 5 p.m. Friday.

The top-seeded Hornets also boast their best conference record since 1998.

The juniors and seniors are expected to carry the team through the weekend. The Hornets are 22-2 since senior Natalie Melcher took over as the starting setter. Melcher and the other two seniors, Mallory Hook and Shannon Arts, were honored on Saturday afternoon.

“It doesn’t feel like the end,” Melcher said. “There’s preseason, regular season and postseason.

“There is still one-third of the season left to go.”

Although the Hornets were banged-up throughout much of the regular season, they usually found a way to come out on top.

“Our team has a lot of depth, so we don’t have to look to just one person to make a play,” Melcher said.

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Going Streaking

The last game the Hornets lost a game was against Portland State, in the second game of the Oct. 29 match. Portland State is also the only conference team to defeat the Hornets in a match, knocking off Sac State in a five-game battle at the Stott Center back on Sept. 30. It was the last time the Hornets lost a match.

The Hornets have only given up six game points to conference opponents and have swept 11-of-14 Big Sky matches.

Colberg is 14-3 all-time in the Big Sky tournament. The last three tournament crowns have come back to Sacramento, while the Hornets have only dropped six game points in that conference tournament stretch.

The last time the tournament was hosted inside the Hornets Nest, Sac State lost to Eastern Washington in the championship match.

Sac State has won the last three championship matches against Eastern Washington in Cheney, Wash.

“I expect to see Eastern Washington and Portland State come out with a lot of intensity,” Colberg said.

The winner of the tournament earns an automatic berth into the NCAA tournament that begins on Dec. 1. The Hornets have played in the NCAA tournament seven of the last eight years.

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Big Sky Tournament team capsules

No. 6 Weber State (11-18, 5-9): The Wildcats are a young group, routinely starting up to six underclassmen including freshman studs Chelsea Bair (outside hitter) and Brittney Bisaillon (middle hitter). Though it played inconsistently this season Weber posted big wins over fourth-seeded Montana State, second-seeded Portland State and third-seeded Eastern Washington whom it plays Thursday at 5 p.m. in the quarterfinals.

No. 5 Idaho State (11-17, 5-9): Arguably the surprise of the conference after being picked by coaches to finish last in the conference prior to the season. The Bengals are led by double-double leader Felice Yocopis and posted a big five-game victory over No. 2-seed Portland State in the Big Sky opener on Sept. 22 in Pocatello, Idaho.

No. 4 Montana State (13-14, 7-7): After making a run at the Big Sky title last season, the loss of all-conference setter Kamber Kelly hit the Bobcats hard. The Bobcats are one of only two three teams to take a game from Sac State in the Nest this season. They play Idaho State in the 7:30 p.m. quarterfinal on Thursday.

No. 3 Eastern Washington (21-8, 10-4): For the past five seasons the Eagles along with the Hornets have been the gold standard in the Big Sky. The last five conference championship matches have featured the two squads with Sac State posting a 4-1 record, winning three of those matches at Reese Court in Cheney, Wash. The Eagles won the last title match contested in Sacramento back in 2001.

No. 2 Portland State (20-8, 10-4): The Vikings lost to Eastern Washington in the final match of the season on Sunday but by virtue of winning four of seven games over two matches they earned the first round bye. Portland State is a veteran group led by senior setter Stephanie Lavigne and junior outside hitter Jessica Brodie. The Vikings were picked to finish fourth in the conference preseason poll and lost their first two matches of the Big Sky schedule but rebounded to go 10-2 in the conference down the stretch. They face the highest remaining seed at 5 p.m. on Friday.