RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — While it may seem like familiar territory, the Arkansas Tech women's volleyball team is taking it one match at a time entering this weekend's Great American Conference Tournament at Bank of the Ozarks Arena in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

The Golden Suns enter the bracket as the top seed for the second time in four years after earning a 15-1 conference record and the GAC title during the regular season.

"We're thankful that we're coming in as the first seed, but we know that any round is not a given," coach Kristy Bayer said. "We have to keep working hard to keep advancing. We had a great regular season, but as postseason play starts, we can't really bank on what we've accomplished so far."

Tech heads to Hot Springs on an 18-match winning streak, tied for the second-longest in program history with the run the team had in 2011 on its way to the first GAC tournament championship. Its last defeat came in a tough five-set match against Southern Nazarene, which is a possible opponent in this weekend's final. Since then, the Golden Suns have dropped just eight total sets.

ATU opens play at 5 p.m. Thursday against No. 8 seed Southwestern Oklahoma, which Tech swept 3-0 in their lone meeting this season. With a win, the Golden Suns could face tournament rival Harding in Friday's semifinals. The Golden Suns and the Bisons have locked horns in each of the previous three GAC title matches, with Tech sweeping last season and grabbing a 3-2 victory in 2011. Harding won 3-1 in 2012. Bayer's squad has pulled out a pair of five-set victories this season over the Bisons, who meet Ouachita Baptist in the first round.

SNU faces Arkansas-Monticello and Southeastern Oklahoma meets Southern Arkansas on the other side of the bracket.