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EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern volleyball team makes its first appearance in the NCAA II Midwest Region Tournament since 2004 when it squares off with top-seeded and tournament host Hillsdale College Friday at 6:30 p.m. (CST) in Hillsdale, Michigan. Live stats and video can be accessed at gousieagles.com.

Overall, the Screaming Eagles are making their third trip to NCAA II Tournament after receiving their first-ever at-large bid into the field of 64—USI's won the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament and its automatic qualifiers in 2002 and 2004.

The Eagles, who have posted an 18-11 overall record and a 10-4 mark in GLVC play this year, enter the tournament as the eighth seed.

USI is 2-0 all-time in the opening round of the NCAA II Tournament. The Eagles defeated Lewis University in three sets to open the 2002 NCAA II Tournament and topped Ferris State University in five-sets to open the 2004 NCAA II Tournament.

Friday, however, the Eagles must face one of the top teams in the country as No. 8 Hillsdale, champion of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, enters this weekend's tournament having won 27 straight matches.

The Chargers (28-1, 19-0 GLIAC) defeated the Eagles in three sets (25-23, 25-16, 25-20) at the GLVC/GLIAC Crossover in October and are 6-3 since 1989 against USI.

Junior middle blocker Danielle LaGrange had 11 kills, a .429 attacking percentage, and five blocks to lead the Eagles in their previous meeting with Hillsdale. LaGrange, a first-team All-GLVC honoree this season, ranks second in the GLVC in both kills (3.51) and points (4.09) per set.

Hillsdale was led by the GLIAC Player of the Year, junior outside hitter Ashlee Crowder, in the previous bout with the Eagles. Crowder, who had 15 kills and a .385 attacking percentage against USI, leads the Chargers with 3.94 kills per set and a .309 attacking percentage.

Other first-round matchups include the third seed, No. 11 Lewis University, taking on the sixth seed, University of Missouri-St. Louis, at 11 a.m.; the second seed, No. 12 Grand Valley State University, taking on the seventh seed, Northern Kentucky University, at 1:30 p.m.; and the fourth seed, No. 19 University of Indianapolis, taking on the fifth seed, No. 20 Northern Michigan University, at 4 p.m.

The winner of the Lewis/Missouri-St. Louis match faces the winner of the Grand Valley State/Northern Kentucky match in the semifinals Saturday at 3:30 p.m., while the winner of the USI/Hillsdale match faces the winner of the Indianapolis/Northern Michigan match Saturday at 6 p.m. The championship match is Sunday at 3 p.m.

Tickets for the tournament are $10 per day for adults and $3 per day for senior citizens and students with identification. Children ages two-and-under are admitted free of charge.