Returning to action after defeating RMC but falling to Queen's in three, the Mustangs have a challenging schedule ahead of them.  First travelling to Hamilton to face McMaster on Friday, Western will then make their way to Waterloo where they'll take on the Warriors on Saturday.
 
The previous weekend showed vulnerabilities in the purple and white game, specifically in being challenged at the net. With the starting line of the Queen's Gaels averaging 6-6, Western struggled to avoid getting caught in the towering block. Without their typically fiery attack to rely upon, the Mustangs struggled throughout all three sets.
 
However, the game also saw Evan Cranshaw come into his own on the court. Getting pieces of sets earlier in the season, the Kinesiology student joined the floor in the second set, and continued to make an impact throughout the third.
 
Gavin Taylor continued to be the strongest attacker on the Mustang half of the court, surpassing the 100-point mark over the weekend to average 4.6 points per game. Not only a threat at the net, the Brampton native leads the OUA in both service aces (13) and service aces per set (0.52).
 
Chris Newcombe, a third year Mustang, falls behind Taylor in points per set (3.0), but leads the team in blocking. The tallest athlete on the Western roster at 6-8, Newcombe's 26 total blocks and 1.04 average put him second in the OUA in both categories.
 
Libero Seth Siegfried continues to lead the Mustangs in the back court, with 2.16 digs per set.
 
Western at McMaster – Friday, November 20 at 8 p.m.
 
Maintaining a perfect record throughout the first seven games of the regular season, the Marauders remain at the top of the CIS men's volleyball Top 10. The OUA champs are expected to continue to be a dominant force for the rest of the season, as they only suffered one starting line loss.
 
Andrew Kocur has taken over as starting setter following the graduation of Austin Campion-Smith, while All-Star Brandon Koppers, All-Rookie Andrew Richards, and Stephen Maar return to the Marauder contingent after respective national appointments over the summer.
 
Averaging five points a set, Maar is undoubtedly the strongest attacker on the McMaster roster. On the cusp of hitting his 100^th point of the season, the Aurora, Ont. native may be even more fired up than usual.
 
Close behind Maar on the scoresheet is Danny Demyanenko. With 64.5 points on the season, the 6-5 middle and OUA MVP averages one block and two kills a set. Tied for second in the OUA with 10 solo blocks, Demyanenko may pose the biggest challenge to the Mustang attack.
 
With the majority of their starters returning, it's no wonder that the McMaster game is virtually unflawed. Posting strong numbers in all areas, the 2014 CIS bronze medalists appear to have no exploitable Achilles heel.
 
Western at Waterloo – Saturday, November 21 at 8 p.m.– Watch live on OUA.tv 
 
Seeing each other on the court in conference action for the first time since Waterloo's five set victory set eliminated the Mustangs from playoffs, tension and passion are sure to be flaring on Saturday.
 
Despite posting a 4-3 record, Waterloo can arguably be described as one of the top teams in the OUA. While they've already fallen to McMaster twice as well as Nipissing, the Warriors are the only team able to take a set off the reigning McMaster Marauders. Pushing their first contest into a fifth set before losing, the game remains the closest McMaster has come to a loss this season.
 
Braden Cok has been the driving force of success for Waterloo, averaging 4.7 points per set and topping the OUA in both total points (135) and kills (120). Aidan Simone, while sitting behind Cok in totals, was the top offensive player in the first matchup against McMaster. Now in his third year as a Warrior, the Biochemistry student has a mounting presence on the floor.