The Mustangs will have the opportunity to extend their current five game win streak to seven this weekend, as they play host to the Nipissing Lakers and the York Lions.
 
Western has fully swept their last three matches – one of which came before the December break – and will head into this weekend with a 7-2 record as the second place team in the OUA West.
 
Defensive coverage has become a point of strength for the purple and white in recent weeks, averaging 10.69 digs per set as a team. The trio of Bryn Ramsay (2.25), setter Matt Hooker (2.09), and libero Nathan Phelps (1.97) have shouldered the majority of backcourt responsibility – with all three falling within the statistical top 10 in the province.
 
At the net, Ramsay continues to be one of the most valuable assets on the roster. The nursing student has been the highest point generator for Western for two seasons now, as he currently averages 2.94 kills per set.
 
Individual offensive numbers for Western's starting hitters are often lower than that of their competitors, largely due to the diversified offence ran by Hooker.
 
Ramsay – the highest scoring athlete on the team – averages 3.5 points per set, and is followed by Chris Newcombe's 3.0 average. Evan Cranshaw and Evan Hammond average 2.5, while Zeid Hamadeh rounds out the usual starters with 2.3.
 
Ramsay is favoured by Hooker in terms of total attacks, but the discrepancy between him and the next highest athlete is far smaller than on most teams.
 
The upcoming pair of games provides an opportunity for the Mustangs to break out of their deadlock with the Windsor Lancers – each with seven wins – and claim sole custody of the second seed in the West.
 
Saturday, January 27 – Western v. Nipissing at 3pm – Watch live on OUA.tv
 
Nipissing and Western have a complicated history, with recent years seeing a new rivalry arise between the two teams. The Lakers have consistently challenged the Mustangs in regulation play, and Saturday provides an opportunity for Nipissing to avenge last year's loss.
 
The Lakers will head into the weekend with a 6-5 record that puts them third in the East division. However, Queen's and Toronto are close to matching and overcoming Nipissing as they are both only one win back.
 
Fans can expect to see lots of action from right side Cameron Branch as he currently serves as the most effective regularly played hitter. His .303 hitting percentage puts him comfortably within the OUA top five, as he averaged 3.44 kills per game. Branch is the most frequently set athlete on the blue and green roster, but Steve Wood has generated more points for the team.
 
Wood's 3.53 kills per set and 4.3 points top the roster – but he has also proven himself to be a threat at the service line. His 13 aces lead the team and is a powerful contributor to their 1.68 aces per set average.
 
As a whole, the Nipissing roster is arguably one of the most inconsistent in the OUA when it comes to serving. Their 1.68 aces per set is the second highest average in the league, but they also are the second most frequent offender when it comes to service errors (158).
 
However, the greatest challenge the Mustangs will face likely comes from Nipissing's blockers.
 
Senior middle Warren Taylor and rookie Jeremie Murray have led the effort for the Lakers and are the primary threats, but as a whole the roster can hold their own at the net. Statistically speaking the team is the strongest blockers in the OUA, and can be expected to put Western's attack coverage to the test.
 
Sunday, January 28 – Western v. York at 3 pm  – Watch live on OUA.tv
 
This weekend represents a key time in the Lions schedule – as the regular season begins winding down and the team remains tied with the Ryerson Rams in the standings. Both teams hold an 8-3 record, and will be counting on every single match to separate them in the rankings.
 
Heading into the match, fans should keep an eye on the Mustang serve receive in Saturday's contest as it will serve as preparation for the Lions.  In many ways, the Mustangs will face similar challenges.
 
York may be the only team less consistent than the Lakers when it comes to serving, as they lead the league in aces per set (2.04), but also errors (225). While it's true that the Lions have played a larger total of sets than most of their competitors, the average still does not fall in their favour. York averages five service errors per set, while the Mustangs average only 2.9.
 
Junior Andrew Shotbolt is the biggest influencing factor in the team's high serving numbers, as he sits second overall in aces per set (0.51).
 
The Lions are also one of the league's highest ranked teams offensively, with impressive numbers in kills per set (12.0), and hitting percentage (.249).
 
Shotbolt also serves as the weapon of choice for setter Logan Mend, as he leads the team in attack attempts (269), and kills per set (2.91).