After resuming their regular season schedule with a straight sets win over Windsor this past weekend, Western returns to the floor this week with a 9-0 record, and holding fifth place on the U SPORTS Top 10 ranking.
 
The perfect record in unmatched in the West Division, while the defending U SPORTS Championships in the Varsity Blues are the only team to remain unbeaten in the East.
 
The success of the Mustangs thus far can be described as nothing more than a full team effort.
 
Starting setter and OUA All-Star Kat Tsiofas has helped lead the team to victory through smart playmaking, while solid defensive play from starting libero and London native Courtney Sestric has allowed the Mustangs to continue rallies.
 
Rookies Melissa Langegger and Carly Kimmett have proven themselves to be invaluable assets to the team, quickly finding their place in a competitive purple and white lineup. Both have excelled offensively and defensively throughout the season and are quickly establishing themselves as OUA All-Rookie contenders.
 
Kelsey Veltman and Aja Gyimah have led the offensive effort consistently over the past nine games to become some of the highest scoring athletes in the league. Veltman's 5.2 points per set average is topped by only Toronto's Alina Dormann, while Gyimah's 3.7 puts her tied for fourth in the league. The pair are also the top blockers the Mustangs have to offer.
 
And of course, Candice Scott has established herself into the most lethal server in the league. Her average 0.74 aces per set is unsurpassed, with only McMaster's Joanna Jedrzejewska within striking distance of the veteran Mustang.
 
The Mustangs have proven to excel in every area of the game, and nothing proves it more than the 9-0 record they've built up. In order to remain at the top of the league, Western only needs to continue doing what has worked all season long and ensure that focus never drifts while on the court. 
 
Saturday, Jan. 21 at McMaster – 12 p.m. – Watch live on OUA.tv
 
The Marauders will hit the court this weekend for the first time all season without a U SPORTS Top 10 designation next to their name. A four-set loss to the Gryphons last week gave McMaster their second loss of the year and bumped them down from the no. 10 spot.
 
However, they maintain one of the strongest records in the OUA with seven wins and only two losses. This weekend will be their first shot of redemption, as they welcome the 9-0 Mustangs to the Burridge Gymnasium on Saturday for a rematch after falling to Western in three sets back on November 26 at Alumni Hall.
 
OUA All-Star and veteran outside Jedrzejewska has been the Marauder's greatest offensive threat throughout the season, but the last time Western met McMaster on the court it was Burlington's Aleks Arsovic and Hamilton native Maicee Sorenson who were most consistently able to get the better of the Mustangs.
 
However, regardless of which individual takes over on the scoresheet, fans can be sure that the Marauders will have few problems generating points. Their offence is the most efficient in the OUA and among the top five nationally with a .239 hitting percentage.
 
The opening serve is expected to be sent out at 12 p.m., and fans can tune in live on OUA.tv
 
Sunday, Jan. 22 at Brock – 2 p.m.
 
Brock and Western will meet on the floor for the first time this season on Sunday, with the Badgers first playing host to Windsor on Saturday.
 
The Badgers enter into the weekend riding a six-game losing streak after opening their season with back-to-back wins against Lakehead. Since then, Trent, McMaster, Guelph and Waterloo have all topped Brock in league action.
 
A well balanced attack has become somewhat characteristic of the Badgers, with no single athlete overpowering the others on the floor. Maddie Brown, Tori Carroll, and Abby Jenkins all record between 2.6 and 2.4 points per set to lead the team. However, it is worth noting that both Brown and Carroll are middles.
 
While the Mustangs can be expected to keep tight control of the game, there is one area that's completely unpredictable. Brock's home attendance sits towards the top of the OUA, meaning that an energetic crowd is likely to turn out to welcome Western to the Bob Davis Gymnasium.
 
Head Coach Melissa Bartlett has noted the importance of the team maintaining focus in previous games, mentioning that drifting concentration has been a contributing factor in sets that were dropped earlier in the season.    
 
The game is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m., and will be followed by a contest between the Mustangs and Badgers men's teams.