CALGARY - With the holiday break right around the corner, the University of Calgary Dinos would like nothing more than to convert some victories over the visiting Regina Cougars to kick off the festive season.

The women's side has been so far up-and-down in Canada West action, sitting at a fairly consistent 3-3 on the young season. However a recent weekend split with the third place and the then No.5 Brandon Bobcats has given a youthful Dinos squad the confirmation they've needed that they can certainly compete at a high level.

With nary a fifth year in sight, Calgary has still been able to play their classic brand of power volleyball, ranking third in Canada West in kills, without sacrificing too much on the defensive end. The Dinos have been able to hold their opponents to a very impressive 0.141 hitting percentage, showing off their grit and determination

Fourth year setter Sarah Lacny has the most veteran experience for the Dinos, and has been very important to her team in the early goings, adding 8.25 assists per game in her leadership role. Melanie Miazga is the other fourth-year player, also stepping her game up in the face of increased playing time.

Miazga is second in Canada West in hitting percentage, converting on 37% of her kill opportunities. This consistency was on display in the Dinos' victory over Brandon last Friday, where the Saskatoon native nailed 11 kills.

Ali Sandholm, who has played only two matches for Calgary - both against Brandon, could very well be the missing link for the Dinos in their quest to break out of the middle of the conference pack. In her two games back, the third year middle had 26 kills, already good for second on the team.

Brooke Halvorsen leads Calgary in digs with 76, while Maura Hayes leads the team with 40 kills.

The No.8 Regina Cougars come to town this weekend with an identical 3-3 record, but with two of their losses coming to the first place Trinity Western Spartans. Regina boasts one of the more efficient setters in the conference, where Tiffany Herman has delivered a pace-setting 10.29 assists per game.

Regina also looks to Solveig Nilson, who from the service line has ripped
14 aces and at the net has accounted for 17 blocks. Meagan Onstead leads the Cougars with 69 kills in six matches.

The men's squad sits at a perfect 6-0 so far in Canada West play, beating up on Winnipeg, Saskatchewan and Brandon in the process, who combine for four wins and 15 losses.  With Regina coming for their annual Calgary visit, the going doesn't get much different, where they sit at 1-5 on the season so far.

Regina's one win however came against the then-no.9 ranked Thompson Rivers WolfPack last Friday in a gritty 3-2 effort which relied on team defense as well as a superb blocking performance. Having fallen on hard times in the past years, the victory marks only its fifth in five seasons.

The aforementioned Cougar defence will be tested however, by a Calgary attack that ranks first in assists, kills and aces.

Led by NORCECA veterans Jay Blankenau and Ciaran McGovern, both setters as members of Team Canada, the Dinos boast arguably the best distributing tandem in the country. With more of the playing time thus far in a competitive battle for minutes, Blankenau has managed 9.59 assists per set while still sharing time with McGovern.

2010 CIS Championship MVP Graham Vigrass leads the Dinos' offensive push with 4.05 kills per set on a very resourceful 45% attack rate, good for second in the conference. Outside hitter Allen Meek and middle David Egan follow closely behind Vigrass, sitting in third and fourth respectively with a 41% and 39% success rate. Meek, in his fourth year has been a key member thus far in 2010-11 after a year away from the team, also contributing 19 blocks through six games.

The Cougars are led by freshman setter Matt Hender as well as their middle blocker, Joel Colter. Hender has 6.81 sets per game in his inaugural season in the yellow and green, while Colter who at 6'4” is much smaller than most middle players, has more than held his own with 31 blocks in total.

The Dinos and Cougars along with the rest of Canada West will take a well-deserved rest from conference play following the weekend, and will resume play in the New Year. Calgary takes on UBC at home to kick off 2011.

-UC-