EDMONTON - When the University of Alberta volleyball teams play the Calgary Dinos this weekend in Edmonton, it will mark the first time in eight weeks that the Pandas and Golden Bears will play conference matches at home in the Saville Community Sports Centre - and the first ever appearance there for the Dinos.
The No.4-ranked Alberta Pandas (9-5) host the University of Calgary Dinos women (8-6), while the No.4-ranked Golden Bears (10-4) will take on the No. 7 Dinos men (9-5).
The Pandas open at 6 p.m. on Friday, while the Bears play at 7:30 p.m.. On Saturday, the Golden Bears will play first (6 p.m.), and the Pandas will play after (7:30 p.m.). All matches can be watched live at
www.canadawest.tv
The U of A volleyball teams moved to the Saville Community Sports Centre in the summer of 2011, but, to date, have only played three conference weekends in the brand new gym plus a small handful of non-conference or exhibition matches.
Terry Danyluk's Golden Bears last played in the competition gym during the December 2-3, 2011 weekend when they split with the UBC Thunderbirds. Since then, the team has seen the Christmas and exam break, a trip to California for non-conference matches against NCAA programs, and back-to-back conference road trips to the province of B.C.
The Pandas, coached by Laurie Eisler, also haven't played a home weekend in the competition gym since the December 2-3, 2011 weekend (they too split with UBC, the defending three-time CIS champions), although they did host a non-conference tournament in early January.
One of the teams at that tournament was the Calgary Dinos, and the provincial rivals clashed with Alberta prevailing in straight sets. In fact, the Pandas hold a 3-1 record over Calgary so far this season, but this weekend will be their first conference competition against one another.
The Pandas have won two of their four matches in 2012, splitting with both Trinity Western and UBC-O, dropping to fifth place in the Canada West standings.
Calgary, meanwhile, has only played two matches in 2012 after opening the New Year with a bye weekend. The Dinos are in sixth place, but are coming off a pair of wins at home against the last place and winless Saskatchewan Huskies.
The top seven teams make the postseason; UBC (13-1), Winnipeg (12-4), and TWU (10-4) have all clinched a playoff spot, while Brandon (8-8) and TRU (6-10) remain in the mix to make it in. With four matches remaining in the regular season, the Pandas could, mathematically, finish anywhere from first to out of the playoffs.
On the men's side, the Golden Bears are in third place in Canada West, trailing Manitoba (13-1) and the defending champion Trinity Western Spartans (14-0), the only two teams to have clinched a postseason berth so far. Alberta is 2-2 in 2012, having been swept by TWU, and then sweeping UBC-O last weekend.
The Dinos are in fourth place while UBC (8-6), Brandon (9-7), and Winnipeg (6-10) round out the top seven teams. Calgary has only played twice in 2012, winning a pair of matches last weekend at home against Saskatchewan.
Alberta and Calgary have only met once this season, a non-conference tilt that the Dinos won 3-2 in October.
The Dinos return home next weekend to face the Trinity Western Spartans. Saturday, Feb. 4 will be Enterprise Seniors' Night, when the Dinos recognize their fifth-year and graduating players.
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