After extending their winning streak to three games with a four set victory over Windsor last weekend, the Mustangs head on the road this week for rematches with the Waterloo Warriors and Guelph Gryphons. With McMaster hot on Western's tail for first place in the OUA West, every game the Mustangs play is a must-win for ideal playoff positioning.
 
Western will head into the weekend as one of the highest scoring offences in the league (16.0 points per set), an effort led by Kelsey Veltman and Aja Gyimah. Together, the pair also account for around a third of all attacks coming from the Mustangs.
 
Veltman continues her reign over the purple and white scoresheet with a total 223.5 points, averaging 5.0 per set. Both numbers put her second overall in the OUA in each statistical category. The 6-2 middle led the offensive effort in the earlier matchups against Waterloo and Guelph, recording 29 and 19 points, respectively.
 
Gyimah follows as the second highest scoring player on the roster, while rookie Melissa Langegger has played an increasingly dominating role on the court throughout the season, including posting a career-high 13.5 points against the Lancers last Saturday.
 
Offensively, the Mustangs also shine in their efficiency. The .230 team hitting percentage in unsurpassed in the OUA and has been for much of the season. While this means that defensive numbers are among the lowest in the league, fans can rest assured knowing that's merely a side effect of rarely having the ball returned.
 
On those occasions when the opposition does manage to return a ball from one of Western's premier hitters, libero and London native Courtney Sestric has proven time and time again that she can handle whatever is sent her way.
 
Saturday, February 11 – Western at Waterloo – 6 p.m. – Watch live on OUA.tv
 
Waterloo will head into their weekend action with an 8-5 record to sit fourth in OUA West, and will be looking to avenge the loss they suffered at the hands of the Mustangs earlier this season.
 
Western hosted Waterloo in early November in Alumni Hall, and that match continues to be the only five-set battle the Mustangs have played throughout the regular season.
 
The Warriors, while not one of the perennial powerhouses in OUA volleyball, have emerged this season as a threat to even the best teams in the league. Waterloo can play with a constant focus and consistency that's rarely seen and has already pushed the Mustangs this year.
 
Two of the five sets went into additional points, thanks in part to solid blocking on the part of the Warriors.  As a team, Waterloo has recorded 141 assisted blocks this season – the second highest total in the OUA.
 
Kayla Wierts put up the highest number of points against Western in November, but Claire Mackenzie has led the team throughout the year as her 3.6 points per set tops the Warriors scoresheet comfortably.
 
Sunday, February 12 – Western at Guelph – 12 p.m. – Watch live on OUA.tv
 
The Gryphons will rely on blocking this weekend to improve their 9-5 record and attempt to rise through the standings as they currently sit in third in the West, two wins behind McMaster.
 
Earlier in the season Western swept the Gryphons in three quick sets, only once letting them past the 20-point mark. But in January, Guelph topped the U SPORTS Top 10 Marauders in four, coming back after dropping the first set. 
 
Western's high scoring offence will need to navigate the best blocking in the league on Sunday, as Guelph has dominated throughout the season. Middles Jessica Gormley and Libby Donevan have anchored the effort and led the team to the best blocking stats in the league with 73 solo blocks, 141 total blocks, and 2.52 blocks per set.
 
Maddie Dedecker can be expected to return the ball over the net more than anyone else on the court, as her 529 attempts make her the most frequently set athlete in the OUA. She also leads the team in points, averaging 3.6 per set.