CHENEY, Wash. – The Portland State volleyball team opens its quest for a second consecutive Big Sky Championship tonight when it plays Montana at 5 p.m., at Eastern Washington University.

The top-seeded Vikings (20-7, 14-2 Big Sky) and the fourth-seeded Grizzlies open the tournament in the first semifinal. No. 2 Eastern Washington and No. 3 Northern Colorado then play in the other semifinal at 7 p.m.

The Big Sky Championship will take place tomorrow at 7 p.m. The tournament is being hosted by Eastern Washington, last year's regular season champion, at Reese Court.

All three matches this weekend will feature live stats and be broadcast through Big Sky TV. Links for both can be found under the LIVE EVENTS tab on GoViks.com

Portland State won the 2009 Big Sky regular season title, its second in three years, and equalled the 2006 team for the best conference record in school history at 14-2. The Vikings have now won at least 20 games in five straight seasons and are 103-40 overall and 62-16 in the Big Sky since the start of 2005.

Last year, the Vikings captured the Big Sky Championship for the first time in school history and also made their first ever trip to the NCAA Tournament. They have played in the conference tourney championship match two straight seasons, losing to Sacramento State in 2007.

PSU went 5-1 this season against the three teams in the tournament, sweeping Eastern Washington and Montana, while splitting with Northern Colorado. They have won nine straight over Montana, and defeated EWU in Cheney for the first time in Big Sky play earlier this year. They had been 0-13 in the Eagles' gym.

Last night at the conference's awards banquet, held in Cheney, PSU's Nique Fradella was named the Big Sky MVP and Whitney Phillips was selected as the top newcomer. Both were unanimous first team all-conference selections. Erica Jepsen earned second team honors, while Christie Hamilton and Marija Vojnovic earned honorable mention status.