After suffering only their second loss of the season last weekend against Guelph, the Mustangs will be looking to bounce back this weekend when they welcome Trent and Toronto to Alumni Hall.
 
Western's record now sits at 13-2, good for first in the OUA West, and a mark that is bested only by the defending national champions in the Varsity Blues, who sit atop the East at 15-0.
 
With only four games remaining before playoffs every matchup is a crucial one. McMaster is hot on Western's tail in the OUA West standings with a 12-3 record and an easier schedule than the purple and white. The Mustangs, however, will face the best the OUA has to offer on Saturday.
 
Western's offence will look to be in peak form this weekend, led as always by third-year King's student Kelsey Veltman.
 
Veltman is the second highest scoring athlete in the OUA in both total points (267) and points per set (5.0), in addition to being the best solo blocker in the league. The two-time All-Canadian has only once recorded fewer than ten points this season, while holding a season high of 29 points.
 
As a team, the Mustangs boast the second highest scoring offence in the OUA (16.1 points per set) and are currently the league's most efficient attackers (.229).
 
The final weekend of action at Alumni Hall kicks off on Friday evening with the Trent Excalibur, and will come to an end on Saturday with a Senior Day contest against Toronto. Candice Scott and Alana Gyemi are the only graduating members of the team this year, and will both be honoured prior to Saturday's game.
 
Friday, February 17 – Western v. Trent – 6 p.m. – Watch LIVE on OUA.tv
 
Trent will compete against the Mustangs for the first time on Friday after joining the OUA this season from the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association.  
 
Last season saw the Excalibur go 16-4 in regular season action to finish third in the OCAA East Division. Sarah MacLaren led the team offensively throughout the season, but her recent graduation paved the way for Camile Garzon to take over.
 
The left side's 2.7 points per set top Trent's scoresheet, followed by Jessica McDougall's 2.1.
 
Defensively the Excalibur have struggled, recording league-lows in digs and a league-leading 121 reception errors.
 
The transition to the OUA game has been a bit rocky for Trent, as their 3-12 record puts them above only the RMC Paladins in the East Division standings.
 
Saturday, February 18 – Western v. Toronto – 8 p.m. – Watch LIVE on OUA.tv
 
Saturday's game against the Varsity Blues can be considered the marquee matchup of the weekend as two OUA titans will meet for the first time this year in regular season action.
 
Toronto will head into the weekend with a 15-0 record, giving up only six sets along the way. Ryerson and McMaster are the only two teams to push Toronto to five this year, while ten of their 15 games have been won in straight sets.
 
Both Western and Toronto currently lead their respective OUA divisions and have experienced a long tenure on the U SPORTS Top 10. And while Veltman leads the Mustangs roster, the Varsity Blues will counter with Alina Dormann.
 
Dormann was named CIS Rookie of the Year last season – an award won by Veltman the previous year – and the two have effectively battled it out on the court to become the top women's volleyball player in the province since Dormann's arrival in the OUA. The sophomore right side leads the league with 5.2 points per set, 4.45 kills per set, and is the second most efficient hitter (.316) behind Ryerson's Theanna Vernon.
 
Defensively, the Varsity Blues are one of the most solid teams in Ontario. Their 18.47 digs put them at the top of the OUA, an effort led by libero Asli Ersozoglu.
 
Game time is set for 6 p.m. on Saturday, with fans able to stream all the action live on OUA.tv.