CALGARY - Fresh and rested coming off of their bye weeks, the University of Calgary Dinos volleyball teams are set to finish up the first half of the Canada West season with two game sets against the Spartans of Trinity Western University.

A youthful Dinos women's squad, who are ranked eighth in the country, has had its ups and downs so far in 2009, sitting with an even 4-4 record in Canada West action. Losing their four games to teams higher than them in the CIS rankings (No. 3 Manitoba and No. 5 Alberta), they get two cracks at another in the Spartans, who sit right behind the Pandas at sixth despite holding a 3-5 record which is worse than that of the Dinos.

Regardless of standings, the Dinos can create very key separation between them and their west-coast rivals with two victories this weekend, and can keep pace with a top-heavy Canada West. With the top four in the conference sitting at 6-2 or better, the Dinos can make it a legitimate five team bundle at the top with a weekend sweep, and would leave the Spartans far behind in the process.

Calgary will continue to lean heavily on their second year right side Lindsey Doland, who is eighth in the conference in kills with 3.23 per game. Doland's development has been vital for the Dinos' early season success, as the team has dealt with injury issues right from the get-go. 

Fifth years Laura Spence and Raynell Lavertu have provided solid play in their roles with the team, with Spence leading the team in hitting percentage and Lavertu in digs. Highly touted recruit Maura Hayes has also been a nice addition to the Dinos lineup, playing at a consistently high level in all facets of the game.

The Spartans get their offensive push from their outside hitter Kara Jansen Van Doorn, who in her fifth year leads the team and sits fourth in Canada West in kills with 115. Jansen Van Doorn gets great support from libero Andrea Ball, who ranks high in the conference in digs with 3.91 per game.

The Dinos men have burst out of the gate in 2009 and are the newly-minted No. 1 team in the nation, with their only loss of the year coming at the hands of the once No. 1-ranked Alberta Golden Bears. At 5-1, the Dinos are in a three-way tie for first place in the conference and are set for a huge weekend set which will help clear up that jam at the top.

The No. 7 Trinity Western Spartans, who at 5-1 are tied with the Bears (6-2) and the Dinos for first place, will come to the Jack Simpson Gymnasium this weekend for the second time this year, and will undoubtedly be looking to avenge their pre-season shortcomings.

The Dinos handled the Spartans with relative ease at the Husky Dino Cup in early October, beating them three sets to one. That was before conference play had begun, granted, and both teams have improved since then. This weekend, however, will be the true litmus test of which team has actually improved the most.

The Dinos are a veteran-heavy team that is as balanced as they come, with a host of players playing significant minutes and contributing at a high capacity. Calgary laces up six hitters who have 30 or more kills through six matches and have two very capable setters, with 2008 second team Canada West All-Star Ciaran McGovern being complemented nicely by 2008 CCAA All-Canadian selection Jay Blankenau.

Third year middle Graham Vigrass has stood out well for Calgary thus far, as the 6-foot-8 Calgary native leads Dinos in kills with 53 despite playing fewer sets than many of his teammates. Fellow middle David Egan has shown remarkable improvement in his fourth year, sitting comfortably amongst his teams' leaders in most offensive categories.

The Spartans' big man in the middle, Josh Doornenbal, will be one of the tougher tests for the Dinos this weekend. The fourth year Edmontonian leads Canada West with 1.21 blocks per game and hits with significant consistency as well, making good on over half (0.516) of his attacks, the second best percentage in the conference.

Setter Ben Ball and former Calgary Christian School standout Jarrod Offereins have been formidable as well for Trinity, ranking among the league's finest in assists and digs respectively.

The Dinos and Spartans will hit the floor for two matches each on Friday and Saturday night, with the women kicking it off at 6 p.m. with the men following at eight.

-UC-