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 Debby Colberg’s team.

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

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

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

Riding a 13-match 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. The team will play the lowest remaining seed at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the semifinals. No. 2-seed Portland State will face the highest remaining seed at 5 p.m. Friday.

The No.1-seed 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 at the setter position. Melcher and the other two seniors, Mallory Hook and Shannon Arts, were honored Saturday at Senior Night before the last regular season game of their college careers.

“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.

The last game the Hornets lost 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 on the Vikings’ home court Sept. 30.

The Hornets have only given up six game points to conference opponents and have swept 11 of the 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 dropped only six game points in that conference tournament stretch. Also, 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 been in the NCAA tournament seven of the last eight years.

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Brad Alexander can be reached at [email protected]