Birmingham, AL---On the heels of one of the greatest volleyball seasons in Gulf South Conference history, the league now turns its focus on the Conference Tournament, Nov. 11-12 at the University of North Alabama.

Six of the eight teams in the field rank in the Top Ten in the South Central Region Poll: (No. 1) North Alabama, the two-time defending Regional Champion, (T-No. 4) Montevallo, (T-No. 4) Arkansas Tech, (T-No. 8) Alabama-Huntsville, (T-No. 8) Henderson State and (T-No. 10) Valdosta State. New GSC members Harding and Ouachita Baptist round out the eight-team field. The new expanded six-team NCAA Regional means an even greater change to advance to the National Tournament.

The first two rounds of the Tournament are scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 11, on two courts at Flowers Hall. Quarterfinals matches are slated at 9:30 a.m. and Noon. The semifinals follow on the main court at 4:30 p.m. (winners of the 9:30 a.m. matches) and 7:00 p.m. (winners of the Noon matches). The Championship is Sunday, Nov. 12 at 1:00 p.m. on the main court.

The Lady Chargers will have their work cut out for them right out of the chute. UAH (21-13, 11-5) will play Henderson State (21-13, 10-2) in one of the noon matches on Saturday.

The Lady Chargers survived a five-match war against the Reddies in the Lady Reddie Volleyball Classic earlier this season. However, the Lady Chargers will have to battle history. Henderson State has won all three of its matches against UAH in the GSC Tournament. Overall, HSU has won 8-of-12 meetings between the two teams. The Lady Chargers however have won the last three matches.

Here is a preview of the other first round matches:

Defending Champion North Alabama (34-2, 16-0), No. 11 in the nation, seeks to become only the second team in GSC history to win five consecutive Conference Tournaments. The Lions’ squads from 1984-88 were the only other team to accomplish that feat. The Lions play Ouachita Baptist (20-11, 6-6) at noon on the main court.

For the third time in Tournament history, Arkansas Tech and Valdosta State square off in the quarterfinals. Each team has won once: ATU won 3-0 in 1997; VSU 3-1 in 1998.

This will be the second meeting between Montevallo and Harding this season. At the Rockhurst Tournament in October, the Lady Falcons won, 3-1.

Next Game: vs. Henderson State, at Gulf South Conference Tournament, November 11-12, in Florence, AL