With two matches remaining in the regular season, the Sacramento State volleyball squad needs to win just one more contest to clinch the Big Sky Conference’s regular season title and the right to the host the league’s postseason tournament Nov. 16-18. The Hornets could also clinch with a Portland State loss. Should the Hornets defeat either Northern Arizona (Thursday, Nov. 9) or Northern Colorado (Saturday, Nov. 11) on the road this week, the league title would mark the 10th consecutive season that Sacramento State has won either the Big Sky’s regular season and/or tournament championship. It would also mark the second straight year and the sixth time in the last nine years (1997-01, 2005-06) the Hornets will serve as hosts of the Big Sky Tournament.

Sacramento State (26-5, 13-1) enters the week having won three in a row and 14 of the last 15 matches. In their final homestand of the season, the Hornets swept both Montana and Idaho State, giving the team three-game sweeps in 21 of the team’s 26 victories. Portland State (12-2) sits one game behind Sacramento State in the Big Sky standings, and the Vikings will host Montana (Thursday, Nov. 9) and Montana State (Saturday, Nov. 11) this week. Should Sacramento State and Portland State finish with the same conference records, the Hornets would own the tiebreaker by virtue of owning a larger scoring margin (+19) than the Vikings (+10) in the teams’ two meetings this year.

Sacramento State has already assured itself a first-round bye in the conference tournament (the top two seeds receive byes in the quarterfinal round). The Hornets have now received a first-round bye every year since joining the conference in 1996. In addition, with one victory this week, Sacramento State will have reached 27 wins this season. That would mark the team’s most since the 1995 squad went 35-4.

Sacramento State has won six Big Sky regular season crowns (1997-01, 2005) and seven tournament titles (1997-98, 2000, 2002-05). The winner of the Big Sky Tournament receives an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, a place the Hornets have been eight times in the last nine years. Sacramento State and Eastern Washington have faced each other in the tournament final each of the last six years, with the Hornets coming out on top five times.

A Brief Look At This Week’s Opponents

Northern Arizona (8-16, 4-10) is fighting for the sixth and final spot into the Big Sky Tournament as the Lumberjacks are currently seventh in the league standings, one game behind Idaho State (5-11). Weber State (3-11) also has a chance of securing the sixth spot, as five teams have already clinched a postseason berth (Sacramento State, Portland State, Montana, Eastern Washington and Northern Colorado). Northern Arizona, which also hosts Weber State on Saturday, has lost four straight after home victories three weeks ago against Idaho State and Northern Colorado. NAU failed to reach last year’s postseason event for the first time in 11 years. The Hornets knocked off the Lumberjacks, 3-0, earlier this season in Sacramento and own a 22-6 all-time record against Northern Arizona.

Conference newcomer Northern Colorado enters the week with a 12-13 overall record and a 7-7 mark in the Big Sky after falling at home last week to Eastern Washington (3-1) and Portland State (3-2). Still, the Bears are 4-3 at home and are usually dangerous on their home floor. When the Hornets swept Northern Colorado earlier this season in Sacramento, it marked the first time since 1984 the two teams had played each other. The Hornets lead the all-time series, 4-0, including a victory in 1983 and two wins in 1984.

Web Coverage

Both Northern Arizona (www.nauathletics.com) and Northern Colorado (www.uncbears.com) will provide live stats of Thursday and Saturday night’s match, respectively. Both matches this week can also be viewed on www.bigskytv.org for a fee. Live video will also be available for every Big Sky Tournament match on bigskytv.org.

Head Coach Debby Colberg

For the 31st-straight season, Debby Colberg controls the Sacramento State sidelines. During her tenure, Colberg has posted a 795-283 record (.737 winning percentage) and has led the team to 17 league titles and 25 postseason berths. Her 795 victories are fifth among active NCAA coaches with five-plus years of Div. I experience. Colberg has been named the Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year a conference-record seven times in the last nine seasons (1997-98, 2000-04). She has now led the Hornets to 12 consecutive 20-win seasons. In addition, Sacramento State will post its 29th winning season in Colberg’s 31 years at the helm. The Hornets’ only sub-.500 seasons came in 1977 (14-15) and during the team’s first year of Div. I play in 1991 (13-19). The 1989 AVCA National Div. II Coach of the Year, Colberg led the Hornets to back-to-back national championships in 1980 (AIAW National Champs) and 1981 (NCAA Div. II National Champs). She also had the added responsibility of serving as Sacramento State’s athletic director from 1999 until 2002.

Since joining the Big Sky in 1996, Colberg has led the Hornets to six Big Sky Conference regular season titles (1997-01, 2005) and seven conference tournament championships (1997-98, 2000, 2002-05). She has also guided the team to the NCAA Div. I Tournament in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005.

Double Hubbard

The team’s go-to player on offense for nearly the entire season, senior outside hitter Atlee Hubbard continues to respond, having led or tied for the team lead in kills in 19 of the team’s last 26 matches. She leads the Hornets and ranks fourth in the Big Sky with an average of 3.99 kills per game, and currently has a career-high streak of 12 straight matches with double figures in kills. In addition, she leads the Big Sky with 18 double-doubles (kills and digs), and has failed to record at least 10 kills in just four matches this year. Equally impressive on defense, the 2005 first team all-Big Sky selection is averaging 3.25 digs per game and has double-figure digs in 21 of 31 matches.

One of three Hornets to start all 31 matches (Michelle Franz and Lindsay Haupt being the others), Hubbard leads the team in kills (419), attempts (1,312) and aces (31). In her third and final season with the Hornets after transferring from Rhode Island prior to her sophomore season, Hubbard has career totals of 1,196 kills and 1,144 digs. She is now just 23 kills shy of cracking into Sacramento State’s career top 10 in kills (Tasman Dwyer is 10th with 1,219 kills).

Simple Math

It’s been a simple equation all year to figure out....when the Hornets win the first game, they win the match. Sacramento State is 25-0 when winning the first game this year, including 21 of those contests resulting in three-game sweeps. When Sacramento State loses the first game, the team is 1-5, with the only win coming at Eastern Washington (3-2).

Dynamic Duo

Sacramento State juniors Michelle Franz and Lindsay Haupt continue to lead the way as the Big Sky’s top middle hitter tandem. Franz, who is third in the nation with 1.86 blocks per game, currently ranks first in the Big Sky in blocks and second in hitting percentage (.336). Haupt ranks 22nd in the nation with 1.50 blocks per game and, among Big Sky leaders, ranks second in blocks and third in hitting percentage (.329). Against conference competition, Haupt (.367) and Franz (.340) are first and third, respectively, in hitting percentage. In addition, they are Nos. 1-2 in blocks with Franz leading the way (1.96 bpg), followed by Haupt (1.52 bpg).

Franz, who has been named Big Sky Player of the Week three times, has 10 blocks in three of her last six matches, and now has five matches with double-figure blocks this season. Franz has hit at least .333 on 17 occasions this season, including a streak of nine straight matches earlier this year (Sept. 21-Oct. 17). The Carmichael, Calif., native has at least four blocks in 18 of the last 19 matches, and in all but four contests this year. She has posted double figures in kills 10 times after doing so nine times last season.

Fresh off a year in which she became the first underclassman to earn Big Sky MVP honors (while also winning Big Sky Tournament MVP accolades), Haupt is currently playing her best volleyball of the season. Over her last 14 matches, the Etna, Calif., native is hitting .385 (148-31-304), and has hit above .415 on six occasions during that span. In addition, Sacramento State is 13-0 this year when Haupt records at least six blocks in a match.

Haupt and Franz have combined for 5.43 kills and 3.36 blocks per game while hitting .332 (575-154-1267). Both have been the biggest contributors to Sacramento State ranking second in the nation in blocks per game (3.61). In fact, the Hornets have tallied double figures in blocks in 21 of the last 24 matches, and in all but seven contests this season.

Hornet Briefs

After dropping its first home match of the season in five games to San Francisco, the Hornets have won each of their last 13 home matches...junior libero Kristin Lutes, who owns the Big Sky Conference record with 2,259 career digs, is the front runner to earn her third Big Sky Libero of the Year award. Lutes is currently sixth in the nation in digs (6.40 dpg) and has at least 12 digs in every match this season. That includes a conference-leading 20 matches with at least 20 digs...playing arguably her best volleyball of the season, junior outside hitter Jennifer Ferguson has double-doubles in three of her last four matches, and is averaging 3.29 kills and 3.07 digs per game while hitting .256 over that span...Ferguson and sophomore setter Rose Burke are tied for third on the Hornets with 16 matches with double figures in digs...Sacramento State remains the only team in the nation to rank among the top 10 teams in both kills and digs. The Hornets are ninth in digs (19.60 dpg) and second in blocks (3.61 bpg)...Lutes, Burke, Atlee Hubbard, Michelle Franz and Lindsay Haupt have each played all 105 games this season...only five opponents have hit better than .195 against Sacramento State’s defense this year...the Hornets have limited Big Sky opposition to a .137 hitting percentage.