Game Information
 
Date: Friday, Nov. 29 & Saturday, Nov. 30
Time: 6:00 p.m. & 3:00 p.m.
Location: Saskatoon, SK
Venue: Ron & Jane Graham Centre Court at the PAC
Watch: Canadawest.tv
Get in the Action: Tickets
 
SASKATOON – Fresh off a series split against the number-one ranked team in the nation, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women's volleyball team returns to their home floor looking to continue their winning ways this weekend in a pair of conference clashes against the Thompson Rivers WolfPack.
 
It has been a sensational start to the season for Saskatchewan, who are 7-3 in conference play, good for fourth in the Canada West. The Huskies fought hard this past weekend in Langley, splitting a series against the defending conference champion Trinity Western Spartans thanks to a come-from-behind 3-1 victory on Friday night.
 
Saskatchewan is 3-1 at the PAC this season, winning their last three contests on their home floor. The Huskies will play their next six matches in Saskatoon and won't have to travel outside of Saskatchewan for a conference match until Jan. 31 when they trek west to Calgary to take on the Mount Royal Cougars.
 
The Huskies will have another opportunity to make a statement against a nationally-ranked program this weekend as they welcome Thompson Rivers to town. The WolfPack, who are seventh in the latest U SPORTS top ten, have an 8-2 record, good for third in the conference. Thompson Rivers possess a two-point cushion on Saskatchewan, who are currently fourth, meaning the pair of contests have the possibility of swaying the standings significantly.
 
Thompson Rivers picked up a split of their own last weekend in Vancouver against the UBC Thunderbirds. The WolfPack fell 3-1 on Friday night, before returning the favour to the Thunderbirds with a 3-1 win of their own, recording their eighth win of the season. Thompson Rivers began their season with six of their first eight games in Kamloops but are now in the midst of a six-game road swing, which is separated by the holiday break.
 
The Huskies last hosted the WolfPack in 2016-17, when they swept the visitors with consecutive 3-1 & 3-0 victories on their home floor and will be looking for another pair of wins this weekend at the PAC.
 
10 Things
 
1: The Huskies will play host to the CJWW Denny Carr Secret Santa Foundation on Saturday night, allowing fans the opportunity to donate toys or non-perishable food items for the drive to support the local charity, which supports the cities less fortunate. The Huskies, who are partnering with the charity for the fourth-consecutive season, are proud to partner with the local initiative, which assists 800 families and 3,000 residents annually in Saskatoon.
 
2: It's been a reasonably competitive rivalry between the WolfPack and Huskies, with Saskatchewan holding a 14-10 record all-time against the Kamloops-based program.
 
3: The Huskies will take the floor at home for the first time in nearly a month, with the team's last home game taking place back on Nov. 2.
 
4: It has been a tremendous start to the season for Mandi Fraser. The second-year middle is atop the Canada West with a .383 hitting percentage.
 
5: Olivia Mattern and Fraser are on the verge of reaching the triple-digit kills mark on the season, with the pair of second-year Huskies entering the weekend with 99 and 92 kills, respectively.
 
6: Saskatchewan sits in the top-three of the conference in kills per set, hitting percentage, assists and blocks per set. 
 
7: The WolfPack aren't unlike the Huskies in sitting atop of the Canada West in several major statistical categories, as Thompson Rivers sits in the top-three in service aces, total blocks, points-per-set and assists.
 
8: Only Averie Allard, Fraser and Mattern have appeared in all 39 of the Huskies sets this season.
 
9: Shae Beaulieu, who has 124 digs this season, trails her WolfPack counterpart Kendra Finch by only one dig entering the weekend, as the two sit fifth and sixth respectively in the Canada West in the stat.
 
10: It's been a tremendous season for Finch, who is in her second season with the WolfPack after previously spending time with the Regina Cougars. The fifth-year outside hitter, who registered 299 kills last season, sits in third in the conference with 138 kills through ten matches this season.
 
Scouting the WolfPack
 
The WolfPack finished 13-11 last season, helping the club to sixth in the regular season standings earning the program their third playoff appearance in the past four seasons.
 
However, unfortunately for Thompson Rivers, they were bounced in the best-of-three quarter-finals, despite winning the first game of the series.
 
Kseniya Koçyiğit, a former professional player hailing from Belarus, is making an instant impact for the Wolfpack in her first season at Thompson Rivers. Koçyiğit spent time playing professionally in the Philippines, Russia, Azerbaijan, Italy, and Turkey since 2003. The rookie is second in the conference with total blocks with 48 and eighth with 18 this season.