VIDEO: NO. 3 MEN'S VOLLEYBALL HOSTS NO. 4 CALGARY
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2010
WEEKEND PREVIEW
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
VIDEO: NO. 3 MEN'S VOLLEYBALL HOSTS NO. 4 CALGARY
LANGLEY, British Columbia - The No. 3 ranked Trinity Western men's volleyball team (8-2) returns to action this weekend to play host to the visiting No. 4 Calgary Dinos (10-0). The Spartans will play Friday at 8:00 p.m. and Saturday at 7:00 p.m.
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SPARTANS (8-2)
CIS Ranking: 3rd
Canada West Standing: 4th
Last Week: Winnipeg 3-0 W, 3-0 W
Streak: 2 Wins
2009-10 CW Record: 11-7, 4th
2010 CW Playoffs: 1-1, 2nd
2010 CIS Tournament: 2-1, 2nd
Last CW Title: 2007
Last CIS Title: 2006
TWU Lifetime vs Calgary: 23-20
The Spartans open the second half of the 2010-11 regular season by hosting the defending CIS national champion and currently undefeated Calgary Dinos.
After losing to Calgary in that CIS gold medal match last spring, this weekend the Spartans will get their first crack, in league play, at taking down the champs. The Spartans did beat Calgary 3-0 (25-22, 25-14, 27-25) in the gold medal game of the Spartans Holiday Classic earlier this year, but this weekend’s two-game tilt is for a whole lot more marbles.
With a sweep, the Spartans will put themselves into a tie with Calgary in the Canada West standings and will have them seated much more in the driver’s seat for the stretch run towards a possible regular season title, which comes with a first round bye and the chance to host the Canada West Final Four.
Trinity Western enters the match on a two-game winning streak in Canada West action and possessing an 8-2 overall record. And the key to their success thus far has been a heavy dose of huge blocks and quality serves.
Through 10 games, the Spartans are second in CW with 3.31 blocks per set and first in aces with 1.32 per set.
The Spartans are also second in CW with an 18.8 opponent hitting percentage while still managing the third best attacking percentage at 28.1 per cent.
Individually, TWU has four players in the CW top 10 in blocks with Lucas Van Berkel leading the conference at 1.68 per set, Dan Jansen Van Doorn fifth at 1.23 per set, Rudy Verhoeff seventh at 1.07 per set and Josh Doornenbal ninth at 1.00 per set.
Verhoeff also leads the team in kills with 3.61 per set (4th in CW) while Ben Ball is tops on the team in assists with 10.46 per set (3rd in CW).
In their last match with Calgary, Doornenbal led the team with 13 kills while Mikiah Schalk was second with 11 kills.
Spartans leftside Marc Howatson could see his first Canada West action of the year this weekend as he’s probable to return to the TWU lineup after dislocating his foot on a team trip to Russia in early September.
DINOS (10-0)
CIS Ranking: 4th
Canada West Standing: 1st
Last Week: UBC 3-2 W, 3-2 W
Streak: 10 Wins
2009-10 CW Record: 13-5, 2nd
2010 CW Playoffs: 3-1, 3rd
2010 CIS Tournament: 3-0, 1st
Last CW Title: 1994
Last CIS Title: 2010
Calgary Lifetime vs TWU: 20-23
The Dinos return to the Langley Events Centre just over two weeks after they lost to TWU in the gold medal match of the Spartans Holiday Classic and will no doubt be looking for a small measure of revenge.
But while the setback in the holiday tournament is fresh, the Dinos have a whole lot more on their minds than one exhibition loss to TWU.
Calgary comes into the game riding a 10-game winning streak and is currently sitting atop the Canada West standings.
The Dinos most recent two-game sweep over UBC involved a pair of five-set marathons last weekend. And with middle Graham Vigrass earning Canada West male athlete of the week thanks to a 43-kill weekend that also included hitting 44.3 per cent and making 10 blocks, the Dinos come to Langley teeming with confidence.
Through the first 10 games, Calgary has been a statistically dominant bunch as they come into the weekend amongst in the top four in all seven major categories.
The Dinos are hitting 31.0 per cent (1st in CW), allowing their opponents to hit 19.0 per cent (3rd), averaging 13.08 assists per set (1st), earning 14.03 kills per set (1st), making 2.68 blocks per set (4th), averaging 1.11 service aces per set (3rd) and getting 10.21 digs per set (3rd).
Much like last weekend, all year it has largely been Vigrass leading both the Dinos offence and defence.
Vigrass is second in the conference with a 40.7 hitting percentage and is third in CW with 3.95 kills per set. He is also leading his team in blocks with 1.05 per set (8th in CW).
Closely following Vigrass on the attack is David Egan, who is fourth in the conference in hitting percentage at 37.1 per cent, and Allen Meek, who is 10th in CW with a 30.5 hitting percentage.
-TW-
Last Updated: 2011-01-19
Email: Mark.Janzen@twu.ca