EVANSVILLE, Ind.—For the fifth time since 2000, the University of Southern Indiana volleyball team will meet Northern Kentucky University in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament. The two teams open the GLVC Tournament Friday at noon on the campus of Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois.

While Northern Kentucky defeated USI in the GLVC Championship match in 2000 and 2001, it was the Screaming Eagles who topped the Norse in the conference title game in 2002 and in the semifinals in 2003.

This season, the No. 24 Norse defeated USI in four sets during the regular season and have won the last four meetings dating back to 2005. Northern Kentucky (27-6, 16-2 GLVC) enters the league tournament as the second seed out of the GLVC East Division after reeling off four straight wins to close out the regular season.

The Screaming Eagles (16-14, 9-8 GLVC), however, have been on a roll since opening GLVC play with a 1-5 mark. USI won eight of its last 11 GLVC matches and is looking continue that momentum as it heads into the conference tournament as the third seed out of the GLVC West Division.

USI is coming off a closely-contested setback to the University of Missouri-St. Louis last Saturday and would see the Tritons again should the two teams advance into the semifinals, which are Saturday at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The GLVC Championship match is Sunday at 2 p.m.

Missouri-St. Louis (22-7, 14-3 GLVC) faces the fourth seed from the East Division, Bellarmine University (8-17, 8-10 GLVC), in the first round. Other first round matches include the top seed from the East Division, Lewis (28-7, 16-2 GLVC), versus the West Division's fourth seed, Drury University (12-17, 8-9 GLVC); as well as the second seed from the West Division, Rockhurst University (22-10, 12-5 GLVC), against the East Division's third seed, the University of Indianapolis (27-8, 14-4 GLVC).

Tickets for this weekend's tournament are $18 for an adult tournament pass, $9 for a student (with ID) tournament pass and a youth (K-12), while children 5-and-under will be admitted free of charge. Single day tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for students and youth.