Video WebcastLive Statistics After an injury-riddled first part of the Canada West schedule, the University of Regina's women's volleyball team is coming off a much-needed bye week and will look to hit the reset button on the season this weekend as the Cougars host Manitoba at the CKHS.
The women's match will lead off both nights, with first serve scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday and 6 p.m. on Saturday.
With the spate of injuries that have decimated the roster over recent weeks, head coach
Melanie Sanford has used seven different starting lineups over the first 10 conference matches. Only one player has appeared in all 35 sets so far this season for the Cougars, and that's veteran middle
Molly Wade-Cummings who leads the team in both hitting percentage (.171) and blocks (30).
Ashlee Sandiford and
Tori Glynn continue to be the main options on the outside for the Cougars, who are searching for their first Canada West victories this weekend. Sandiford leads the team in both kills (76) and attacks (260), while Glynn is second on the team in both categories with 65 kills and 231 attacks. Glynn also leads the team with 62 digs, while Sandiford has unleashed a team-leading 16 service aces this season.
Manitoba (1-9) registered their lone win of the Canada West schedule four weekends ago at home against MacEwan, but the Bisons have lost four straight since that four-set win over the Griffins. Caleigh Dobie – daughter of longtime Manitoba football coach Brian Dobie – is among the conference's leader in digs per set, as the fourth-year libero has 110 in 33 sets played this season.
Fifth-year middle Jordana Milne is Manitoba's top offensive player, with a team-high 97 kills on the season to go along with a .272 hitting percentage. Milne also has 25 blocks on the season, just behind Sarah Klassen's 29 for the team lead. Both Sydney Booker and Sydney Purvis have seen extended playing time at setter this season, though it was Booker getting the call for Manitoba in the team's two matches at Alberta last weekend.
It's the final matches of the first half of the Canada West schedule for both teams, as they'll resume conference play in early January. The Cougars will also participate in the New Year's Classic, a non-conference tournament hosted by the University of Alberta from Jan. 2 to Jan. 4.
