GREAT FALLS, Mont. – The #10 University of Providence volleyball team will prepare for yet another ranked opponent this week. This time however, the opponent will be a conference foe.

The Argos (13-2) will officially enter conference play on Friday when they travel to Butte, Mont. to take on #15 Montana Tech. The game will begin at 7:00 p.m.

"We're finally at the point where we start conference play," head coach Arunas Duda said. "It really counts. It really matters. We're very excited. Coaches love these kind of games because it's like a chess match. We can't mess around. It's time to get down to business. It's going to be a fun match."

The Argos are coming off an undefeated weekend at the Frontier Conference Preseason Tournament. The squad played every conference opponent except the Orediggers (12-3) in Havre, Mont. over the weekend, but got plenty of opportunity to see them in action.

The Orediggers are a great serving team, having recorded 132 service aces on the year, good for 7^th in the nation. They're also strong at the net, recording 127 blocks so far this season.

"We saw Tech a lot last weekend in Havre," Duda said. "They look good. They're big, they're strong, they got some powerful hitters. It's going to be a fun matchup."

Though the Orediggers are a quality side, they aren't the first ranked opponent the Argos have played this season. The team is currently 4-1 against ranked opponents, and 6-1 against teams receiving votes on the season. The team is also on a six-game winning streak, beginning with two road wins in Arizona, which gave the team their first experience in front of a loud crowd.

"Going on the road and playing in hostile gyms with a big crowd, that's what we'll see in the Frontier," Duda said. "Everyone is so excited to have fans back in the gym and playing. There is going to be a lot of energy and excitement at every gym we go to. Our preseason schedule prepared us for those environments pretty well. The girls will hopefully respond well because they've been through that before."

The Orediggers will likely attempt to slow down setter Cydney Finberg-Roberts, who was named the NAIA National Setter of the Week on Tuesday. At her disposal are a multitude of hitters, including two, Sadie Lott and Jenna Thorne, who have been named the Frontier Conference Attacker of the Week. Defensively, the Argos are led by returning All-American Sacha Legros and a renewed blocking presence led by Lott and newcomer Zoe Naugle.

"We're prepared," Duda said. "We're ready to go. We have the right mindset. I'm just excited to get going."