LANGLEY, British Columbia – One of the top players in the country will give the No. 3-ranked Spartans their biggest challenge this weekend as Iuliia Pakhomenko and her Thompson Rivers WolfPack provide the opposition this Friday and Saturday at the Langley Events Centre.
WATCH: www.canadwest.tv
WEEKEND PREVIEW
Friday, Jan. 13 vs. Thompson Rivers (6-6) – 5 p.m. (PT)
Saturday, Jan. 14 vs. Thompson Rivers (6-6) – 5 p.m. (PT)
THE WEEKEND STORY
- Trinity Western will aim to keep its eight-match winning streak alive this weekend as they host a dangerous WolfPack side that has split each of its last four weekends and opened the year by pushing unbeaten Alberta to five sets.
- The series is a rematch of last year’s Canada West quarter-final series that saw the Spartans earn back-to-back four-set wins to advance to the Final Four. The WolfPack won the first set in both matches.
- This weekend’s series features the top three attackers in Canada West with TRU’s Iuliia Pakhomenko (4.91 kills/set) leading the way, followed by TWU’s Sophie Carpentier (4.07 kills/set) and Elly Wendel (3.95 kills/set).
- Pakhomenko is coming off a 62-kill weekend in which she averaged 7.75 kills per set. Her efforts earned her the Canada West Female First Star of the Week and the CIS Female Athlete of the Week honours.
- In last year’s playoff series, TWU held the Pakhomenko to 21 kills over eight sets.
- The teams split their regular season series, with both teams winning in four sets.
- TWU is 22-2 all-time in conference play against the WolfPack and 26-2 overall.
- The Spartans are 12-0 at home in the regular season all-time against TRU and 16-0 overall, including preseason, regular season and postseason.
TRINITY WESTERN SPARTANS (11-1)
U SPORTS ranking: No. 3
Canada West Standings: 2nd
Last Match: Saskatchewan (3-1 W)
Streak: 8 wins
Form: W-W-W-W-W
2015-16 CW Regular Season Record: 20-4
2015-16 CW Playoff Record: 4-0 (1st)
THOMPSON RIVERS WOLFPACK (6-6)
CIS ranking: NR
Canada West Standings: 6th (tied)
Last Match: Calgary (3-1 L)
Canada West Streak: 1 loss
Form: L-W-L-W-L
2015-16 CW Regular Season Record: 12-12
2015-16 CW Playoff Record: 0-2
