It’s a battle of the top two teams in the country on the West Coast this weekend.
The second-ranked Brandon University women’s volleyball team is set for a showdown with the six-time defending CIS champion and #1 UBC Thunderbirds.
"Anytime you play UBC, it’s a big weekend. They’re the top team in our league, they’ve been that way for six years so it’s a good opportunity to see really where you belong," said Lady ‘Cats coach Lee Carter this week, "It’s always fun coming in as the underdog and putting the pressure on them. We love the fact that we’re getting better and we’re starting to get respected in the rankings. All that stuff is awesome, but in the end, until someone knocks off UBC, they’re the team to beat."
Brandon is 11-and-3, which is the best start to a season in the program’s nine-year history.
The Lady ‘Cats are in sole possession of second-place in Canada West and are four points behind the front-running and undefeated T-Birds.
"I want to look at it as just another match, only because you can psych yourself up. We’re right there with them. I feel like it’s just another match, like it’s big, but it’s just another match," added middle Meaghan Robertson. "I think we’ve made a statement already because this is the best record we’ve had in my four years here. I think we match up to them good and individually we’re all as good as them if not better. We just got to work together. Individually we’re good and if we work together we’re going to be better."
On the men’s side, the seventh-ranked Bobcats are 7-and-7 and out to snap a two-match slide.
"As far as records go I don’t think it really does much for anyone in this league right now. Everyone’s all over the place and as we’ve proven in the past, we come just managing to get over .500, to getting a silver or bronze medal at nationals," said middle and co-captain Brendan White. "It’s nice to have a nice little #1, #2 or #3 beside your name at the end of the league, but as long as we make it to playoffs, that’s our main goal and our record just needs to get us to there."
Brandon is sitting in sixth-place in the standings with the top seven advancing to the playoffs.
"There’s still opportunity left in front of us. We’re going to try to take advantage of that opportunity, that’s the only way to look at it. Things are still in our hands and that’s the way we want to keep it," said BU coach Grant Wilson. "One play at a time. It’s that old saying, but honestly we can’t be looking at the standings or the score. We just got to focus on how we’re going to win the next point. I think when we keep it simple like that and stay foucsed on the task at hand it’s going to lead to success."
The defending conference champions are two points back of the fifth-place Calgary Dinos, and are two points ahead of the Manitoba Bisons, Mount Royal Cougars and Winnipeg Wesmen.
Big Weekend for Bobcat Volleyball
By Tyler Crayston
Jan 16, 2014 | 7:27 AM