Long-time rivals meet at The Jack

CALGARY – After a weekend off from competition, the University of Calgary Dinos women’s volleyball team (11-7) returns to the court this weekend, playing host to the UBC Thunderbirds (14-4) for a weekend set.
 
The action gets underway Friday with a scheduled 7:45 start from inside the Jack Simpson Gym. Saturday’s rematch will get underway at 5 p.m.
 
Both matches can be streamed live on Canada West TV.
 
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
 
1. BOUNCING BACK – After an incredibly strong start to the season, the Dinos hit a speed bump coming out of the winter break. The team looks to have turned a corner, however, after a dominant showing last time out. Calgary travelled to Manitoba Jan. 20-21 and completed the weekend sweep of the Brandon Bobcats, including a 25-16, 25-15, 25-7 in the finale.
 
2. UTTER DOMINANCE – In their last time on the court, the Dinos achieved a rare feat in volleyball – holding an opponent to just single digits for points in a first-to-25 set. Calgary limited Brandon to just seven points in the final frame of their three-set sweep back on Jan. 21 – marking the fourth time in conference action they’ve been that dominant. The best mark over the last 10 years came back on Oct. 17, 2014, against Thompson Rivers, holding the WolfPack to just five points in a 25-5 fourth set. The most recent occurrence of a single-digit set came in a Canada West playoff game against rival Mount Royal, holding the Cougars to just eight in the second set of a postseason-opening sweep on Feb. 22, 2018.
 
3. CONFERENCE STANDINGS – With just three weeks left in the regular season, the attention on the conference standings is growing in the ultra-competitive Canada West. UBC enters the weekend sitting in second place with a 14-4 record to date, while the Dinos sit firmly in seventh place at 11-7. Calgary is three games up on the two teams currently in eighth and just one game behind Manitoba – who will come to The Jack for the final weekend of the regular season.
 
4. IT’S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE – This weekend marks the first time the Dinos and Thunderbirds will square off in a conference game since all the way back in Nov. of 2019. The two teams also met in the postseason last year, with UBC claiming that round-of-six competition from Mount Royal’s Kenyon Court. The two teams have been very balanced over the last little while, splitting the head-to-head series in conference and postseason action over the last eight games.
 
5. UP NEXT – Calgary hits the road for the final time during the regular season next weekend, heading to Saskatoon for games against the Saskatchewan Huskies, Feb. 10-11.
 
-UC-