VIDEO: NO. 1 RANKED WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL HOSTS NO. 7 CALGARY

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2011
WEEKEND PREVIEW

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

VIDEO: NO. 1 RANKED WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL HOSTS NO. 7 CALGARY

LANGLEY, British Columbia - The No. 1 ranked Trinity Western women's volleyball team (9-1) return to action this weekend after nearly two months between regular season. The Spartans will host No. 7 ranked Calgary (6-4) Friday at 6:00 p.m. and Saturday at 5:00 p.m. at the Langley Events Centre.

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SPARTANS (9-1)
CIS Ranking: 1st
Canada West Standing: 1st  
Last Week: Winnipeg 3-2 W, 3-1 W  
Streak: 2 Wins
2009-10 CW Record: 13-7, 3rd
2010 CW Playoffs: 0-2
2010 CIS Tournament: N/A
Last CW Title: N/A
Last CIS Title: N/A
TWU Lifetime vs Calgary: 5-27

For the first time in the school’s history, the Spartans women’s volleyball team will enter this weekend’s games ranked as the No. 1 team in the CIS.

Despite not having played a regular season game in nearly two months – the Spartans last match was a 3-2 win over Winnipeg Nov. 27 – Trinity Western leapfrogged previously top-ranked UBC after the Thunderbirds saw their record drop to 9-3 on the year when they lost to Calgary 3-2 last Saturday.

But with Calgary now coming into the Langley having just beaten UBC, the Spartans will be in tough to both shake off any time-accumulated rust and fend off the suddenly surging Dinos.

The key, most obviously, for the Spartans 9-1 record this year and current ranking is TWU’s impressively efficient hitting percentage and opponent hitting percentage. In 10 regular season games this year, the Spartans are hitting 22.6 per cent (2nd in CW) while only allowing their opponents to hit 10.6 per cent (1st in CW).Trinity Western has also been imposing on the block as they are currently third in the conference with 2.50 blocks per set.

Trinity Western has relied largely upon the hitting of fifth-year Kara Jansen Van Doorn who is second in CW in kills per set (3.67) and eighth in hitting percentage (27.5 per cent).

First-year Alicia Perrin is third in CW in blocks with 1.38 while Andrea Ball’s 4.00 digs per set is tops in the conference.

This weekend, Canadian national team setter Lauren O’Reilly will return to the Spartans lineup after missing the whole fall semester while participating at the World Championship in Japan. O’Reilly was Canada’s top setter as she started 15 of the 18 sets Canada played. The team went 0-5 in the opening round and was eliminated early but O’Reilly earned some valuable experience playing at the highest level possible.

DINOS (6-4)
CIS Ranking: 7th
Canada West Standing: 5th (tied)
Last Week: UBC. 3-2 L, 3-2 W
Streak: 2 Wins
2009-10 CW Record: 10-10, 7th
2010 CW Playoffs: 0-2
2010 CIS Tournament: N/A
Last CW Title: 2005
Last CIS Title: 2005
Calgary Lifetime vs TWU: 27-5

Last Saturday, the Dinos pulled off an upset win over the previously No. 1 UBC Thunderbirds in a thrilling five-set match that saw Calgary take the final set 16-14. And they did it all while being hampered by a number of injuries to key players.

The Dinos were forced to play without former national team player Laura Wilson – who suffered a knee injury the night before and will be out of the lineup this weekend as well – CIS all-rookie teamer Maura Hayes and first-year middle Courtney Dawson.

Yet despite the depleted lineup, the Dinos battle back from a 25-11 opening set loss to knock UBC from its pedestal. So this weekend, with momentum and an emotional high on their side, the Dinos will be a tough team to beat.

Coming into the weekend, Calgary is just two games over .500 but also just a couple wins out of the top four in Canada West. And with a successful weekend in Langley, they could vault themselves into the mix to host a playoff game.

Through 10 games this year, the Dinos are fifth in the conference in hitting percentage at 19.4 per cent and fourth in CW in opponent hitting percentage at 15.7 per cent. Calgary is averaging 12.25 kills per set (3rd in CW) and 2.30 blocks per set (4th in CW).

Where Calgary has struggled has been in their passing and serving. The Dinos are eighth in CW with just 12.65 digs per set and 10th in CW in service aces with 1.15 per set.

Wilson has led the team all season with 2.94 kills per set so without her the Dinos will have a large hole to fill. Melanie Miazga is Calgary’s top hitter for average as she is attacking at 27.3 per cent (9th in CW).

Miazga is also fourth in CW in blocks with 1.02 per set while Sarah Lacny is fourth in CW in assists with 9.52 per set. Libero Brooke Halvorsen is seventh in CW with 3.17 digs per set.

-TW-

Last Updated: 2011-01-19
Author: Mark Janzen
Email: Mark.Janzen@twu.ca