The University of Regina's women's volleyball team is back at home against Mount Royal this weekend for a rare Saturday/Sunday series at the Centre for Kinesiology, Health & Sport.
 
First serve is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.
 
The Cougars are 1-5 on the season after a pair of road losses to Thompson Rivers last weekend, including a five-set loss on Friday which saw them take the WolfPack the distance but unable to finish in the deciding set.
 
Fourth-year outside hitter Tori Glynn and fifth-year right side Chelsea Ziolkowski have emerged as the top options for setter Leah Shevkenek (pictured). Glynn has a team-high 69 kills and is hitting .169 on the season, while Ziolkowski has 58 kills, leads the Cougars with 68 digs, and is tied for second on the team with 21 blocks. Shevkenek herself is having another strong start to the season with an average of 9.17 assists per set, one of just two setters in the conference to average over nine.
 
Fifth-year middle Michelle Sweeting returned to the lineup against TRU after missing the Winnipeg series due to a lower-body injury. Despite missing those two games against the Wesmen, Sweeting is still third on the Cougars with 50 kills and second with 21 blocks while hitting a team-high .343 on the season.
 
Expect the team's starting lineup to be rounded out by third-year players Molly Wade-Cummings and Jenna Krahn, with Lindsay Braul at libero. Wade-Cummings is the U of R's leader with 30 blocks on the year, while Krahn has 33 kills and 21 digs and Braul is second on the Cougars with 59 digs.
 
The Cougars have also received significant contributions from their depth players this season, led by rookie Taylor Ungar who has appeared in 21 of the team's 24 sets as a defensive specialist. Rookie middle Kyla Payette started at middle during the two Winnipeg matches with Sweeting out, while rookie Kristine Ward has played in all six matches and has recorded 12 kills, seven digs, and six blocks in 14 sets.
 
Mount Royal (2-6) enters the weekend on a three-match losing streak including a pair of three-set home losses to Saskatchewan last Friday and Saturday. The Calgary-based Cougars are led offensively by outside hitters Mikayla Fritzke (64 kills, .237 hitting percentage) and Fallon Middlemiss (57 kills, .184). Fourth-year setter Jenna Smith has started all eight games for MRU, though rookie Amy Gordon – a teammate of Ward's at Neelin HS in Brandon, Man. – saw significant playing time last Saturday in the Saskatchewan loss.
 
Both of this weekend's matches will be broadcast live at www.canadawest.tv.