The Rockhurst Hawks will meet the Bellarmine Knights in the opening round of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament Friday at 2:30 p.m. at Neil Carey Arena on the Lewis campus in Romeoville, Ill.

Rockhurst defeated Bellarmine, 3-0, in Louisville, Ky., earlier this season. The Hawks also met the Knights in the first round of the GLVC Tournament last year in Indianapolis. Rockhurst edged Bellarmine, 3-2, in a first-round match last year.

The Hawks (25-6, 15-3 GLVC) enter the GLVC tournament as the defending champions and the No. 1 seed from the West Division. The Knights grabbed the No. 4 seed from the East Division after finishing the regular-season with a 15-13 overall record and 9-9 GLVC mark.

The Lewis Flyers (23-8 overall) are hosting this year's GLVC Tournament after earning the top seed with a 16-2 league record. The Flyers take on Missouri-St. Louis (17-14, 10-8 GLVC), at 7:30 p.m. following the match between Southern Indiana (24-7, 15-3) and Truman State (21-10, 14-4). Indianapolis (21-9, 15-3), the No. 2 seed out of the East, will meet Missouri S&T (15-16, 10-8 GLVC) in the first match at noon Friday.

Rockhurst ranks in the top three in conference in hitting percentage (2nd, .228), opponent hitting percentage  (1st, .149), assists (2nd, 12.71), kills (3rd, 13.39), blocks (2nd, 2.45) and digs (2nd, 17.63).

Sophomore setter Whitney Kostal is second in the conference in assists (11.09). Freshman outside hitter Morgan Rietzke ranks sixth in kills (3.34 per set). Senior libero Victoria Mahl is sixth in digs (5.01 per set). Sophomore middle hitter Katie Loescher ranks seventh in hitting percentage (.282).