The Carroll College volleyball team will be tested right away as it hosts Black Hills State (S.D.) tonight at 7 p.m. in the opening game of the Carroll College/University of Great Falls Tournament.

The Yellow Jackets won the 2008 Dakota Athletic Conference championship, finishing the season 26-8 with an appearance in the NAIA National Tournament. They were also ranked 13th in the NAIA and received votes in the 2009 preseason poll, but were just short of a top 25 ranking.

The Saints, meanwhile, are playing in their first match since finishing 21-10 overall, 8-6 in the Frontier Conference last season. The Saints lost to eventual Frontier champion Lewis-Clark State in the conference tournament and now start the 2009 season ranked second to the Warriors.

Carroll collected 38 points in the preseason poll, including one first-place vote. Lewis-Clark State finished with 49 points, including seven first-place votes.

";I think that's going to be the grudge match," said Saints head coach Mo Boyle. ";That's probably what it's going to be in the end, at least that's what we foresee."

With 13 players returning and a single freshman recruit, Mo Ritter of Billings, the Saints have high expectations for the season. They lost Nicole Rowan to graduation, while junior Shannon Flynn, formerly a two-sport athlete, has decided to concentrate on basketball instead.

";(The players) have their bar set pretty high and we've been practicing since last Monday," Boyle said. ";They've been practicing with an intent of getting to where they want to, and that's winning the conference title and to get to the national tournament."

It would be the first time the Saints reached the competition since she was a player in 1992.

With a number of starters returning, including first-team all-conference middle hitter Christina Smetana, Carroll certainly has some intimidating firepower.

Smetana, a senior and former Capital High standout, led the squad with 267 kills while following up junior Haylee Otteson with 110 blocks.

Otteson, a second-team all-conference selection along with senior Sammy Priddy, led the squad with 122 blocks and had a third-best 198 kills behind Priddy's 224. Priddy added 61 blocks.

";I can really count on (Smetana and Priddy). Both are a huge part of our offense, and we really based our offense on them," Boyle said. ";They're seasoned and they play that way.

";This last week-and-a-half of practice are the ones certainly leading our offense."

The Saints will be without Otteson, who suffered a hairline fracture in her back and won't return to the court until later in the season.

She'll be replaced at the middle hitter position by little sister Markki Otteson, a sophomore, while Mary Mahoney is stepping in at Rowan's old spot as a starting outside hitter.

";Mary Mahoney has done a really good job, and she's a returning senior and has played everywhere except setter for us," Boyle said. ";Her leadership is really keeping us calm and solid on the floor."

Sophomore Caitlin Tocci and senior Katie St. John will double up at the setter position, much like they did last year. Defensively, Maureen Frauenholtz made her way onto the all-freshman squad with a team-high 412 digs at the libero position. She also led the squad with 53 service aces.

The Saints have been practicing a little bit of a different of an offense this year. Instead of running Smetana and one other in the middle, Boyle will have the ladies running a triangle through the center.

";It just means we have three people playing the middle front instead of two," she said. ";When we're playing against each other it looks good, but we have no idea how it will hold up against No. 13 team in Black Hills."

Black Hills lost only one player to graduation and gained three new freshmen that are expected to make an immediate impact.

They are led by Kristin Engle, the DAC Player of the Year, who was a first-team all-DAC and second Team NAIA All-American in 2008.

Mandy Brumfield also had a strong 2008 season earning 1st Team All-DAC and All-Region Honorable Mention honors as a setter, while junior Maggie O'Neill received first-team all-DAC and first team all-region and will provide significant strength at the net.

";We've read about them and their a seasoned team as well," Boyle said. ";They're going to be a good team that we have to play right away."

The Saints will follow up with matches against Hope International (Calif.) at 1 p.m. and another 7 p.m. match with the Yellow Jackets, both on Friday.

Jeff Windmueller: 447-4065 or jeff.windmueller@helenair.com