After splitting last weekend 1-1 with a loss to Waterloo (23-25, 25-22, 20-25, 21-25) followed by a four set victory over Windsor (24-26, 25-15, 25-18, 25-19), the Mustangs are back in action this weekend with another full slate at Alumni Hall.
 
A few injuries have changed up the dynamic of the starting line, with Bryn Ramsay and Evan Hammond both making an impact on the court to help Western to their most recent win.

Gavin Taylor continues to lead the team in total points as he has all season long, though fourth-year middle Mike Choja is narrowing the gap. Choja, an impressive attacker as well as an effective blocker, has picked up 122 points across 12 matches. In terms of points per set, it's Ottawa's Zeid Hamadeh who has been rising through the ranks to sit below Taylor with 3.0 points per set.
 
Working against the Mustangs over the last few games has been their serve. With a combined 27 errors in their last two games, Western's tendency to put too much power behind the ball has been weighing the group down. In order for the Mustangs to make an attempt at taking down this week's opposition, they'll have to clean up their technique behind the base line.
 
Western vs. Guelph – Friday, January 29 at 8 p.m.– Watch live on OUA.tv
 
Holding a 4-8 record for ninth in the OUA, Guelph will be spending the final few weeks of the regular season hoping to move into a playoff position. The first step on their path: taking down the newly revitalized Mustangs.
 
The first meeting of Guelph and Western this season resulted in a 3-2 (25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 23-25, 15-11) win for the Mustangs, as well as new career highs for Taylor, Hamadeh, middle Chris Newcombe, setter Brad Hockin, and libero Seth Siegfried.
 
Fans should stay on the lookout for Guelph's Zach Newman and Joshua Green. Both left sides standing at 6-4, the duo are the top attackers on the Gryphon roster. Newman's 3.4 points per set put him at the top of Guelph's list, while Green is just below at 2.9.
 
Protecting the back court against Western's attacks will likely be Green or left side Dallas Keith. Green has picked up 80 digs this season, while Keith tops the team at 100. While two liberos are listed on the roster, neither has recorded more than 10 digs throughout the season.
 
Guelph's game is often further bolstered by an energy that allows the team to confidently chip away at a point difference until they've evened the score.
 
Western vs. McMaster – Saturday, January 30 at 8 p.m.– Watch live on OUA.tv 
 
There's very little to be said about the McMaster Marauders that can't be discerned from their ranking. Currently first in the OUA by a wide margin with a perfect 14-0 record and the favourites to win this year's CIS Championship, the Marauders have dropped only three sets throughout the entire season.
 
The Marauders top the OUA in a number of key offensive categories, leading in kills per set (13.58), hitting percentage (.358), service aces per set (1.96), and points per set (18.1). Taking into consideration the relatively low number of total attacks it becomes clear that the Marauders make good on nearly every attempt.
 
Stephen Marr returned returns to the Marauders for a fourth year after being named the Top Outside Hitter at the Pan Am Cup to lead McMaster's offensive effort as well as the OUA with 4.49 kills per set, a .423 hitting percentage, and 5.1 points per set. Fellow fourth year Jayson McCarthy will also look to challenge Western's defensive chops as his 2.83 kills and 3.71 points per set sit just behind Maar.