TEAM OVERVIEWS
REGINA – The Cougars (6-8) played two five-set matches last weekend at Saskatchewan, losing to the Huskies on Friday but replying with a five-set victory on Saturday to pick up a crucial midseason victory as they remain in a three-way tie for the final Canada West postseason spot – one of the teams they're tied with is on the other side of the net at the CKHS this weekend, as TRU also comes in at 6-8. The Cougars have enjoyed fine production from their libero and setter positions this season. Taylor Ungar ranks third in Canada West with 4.05 digs per set, while Satomi Togawa is third in the conference with 9.17 assists per set and has also helped out defensively with 123 digs and 25 blocks. The other five in head coach Melanie Sanford's usual starting lineup include Ashlee Sandiford and rookie Jessica Lerminiaux at left side, Kathleen Ens and Brooklyn Reynolds at middle, and Diana Lumbala at right side.
 
THOMPSON RIVERS – The WolfPack are in the midst of a critical three-week stretch of their schedule which features matchups against three teams right around them in the Canada West standings. That stretch started last weekend with a road split against Mount Royal, and it continues after this weekend with two home matches against Saskatchewan. Though they graduated All-Canadian player Iuliia Pakhomenko last year, they've replaced her with another Ukrainian player that's carried the offensive load for them this year. Yevgeniya Nyukhalova leads Canada West in both kills (231) and kills per set (4.28), and together with veteran Rachel Windhorst forms one of the most productive one-two punches in the conference. Windhorst is also among Canada West's offensive leaders, ranking fifth with 188 kills this season.

PROJECTED STARTERS

Thompson Rivers	Regina
#1 Kaitlin Lomas (MB • 6-2 • 5th) #2 Mikayla Funk (OH • 5-10 • 2nd) #3 Abby Spratt (S • 5-10 • 2nd) #4 Kendra Finch (OH • 5-11 • 3rd) #6 Hali Drezet (L • 5-8 • 2nd) #7 Yevgeniya Nyukhalova (OH • 6-4 • 1st) #10 Rachel Windhorst (OH • 5-11 • 4th)	#1 Ashlee Sandiford (LS • 5-9 • 4th) #5 Satomi Togawa (S • 5-6 • 2nd) #8 Kathleen Ens (MB • 5-9 • 4th) #9 Diana Lumbala (RS • 5-11 • 3rd) #10 Brooklyn Reynolds (MB • 6-3 • 2nd) #12 Jessica Lerminiaux (LS • 6-2 • 1st) #13 Taylor Ungar (L • 5-6 • 4th)

PIVOTAL MATCHUP
The logjam at 6-8 in the Canada West standings include three teams that are currently tied for the eighth and final postseason berth. Those three teams include the two playing in Regina tonight as well as TRU's opponent last weekend, Mount Royal. There's also three seven-win teams just ahead of the group – Brandon (7-5) plays at Calgary this weekend, Alberta (7-7) is on the road at Mount Royal, and Saskatchewan (7-7) hosts MacEwan.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Though the Cougars head into this one with a 15-9 advantage in the all-time series, Thompson Rivers has had the upper hand in recent years with sweeps in each of the last three seasons. Regina had won 15 of the 18 Canada West matches between the two teams up to and including the 2013-14 season. The Cougars are 6-4 against TRU in Regina.