The Mustangs will be looking to repeat last weekend's back to back sweeps, but this time they'll have home court advantage. Nipissing and York will both make the trek down to Alumni Hall this weekend, to take on the 8-3 Mustangs.
 
Western is coming off two wins over the Lakehead Thunderwolves, the latter of which saw them play their best game in weeks. The purple and white serve, on-court communication, and serve receive were the cleanest they had been all season, with second year Melissa Langegger noting that the group "really learned to play as a team again."
 
Blocking from Kelsey Veltman, Kate Ferguson and Danielle Grasman propelled the Mustangs to victory in Sunday's contest, and has been a cornerstone of the purple and white game all season long. Western leads the OUA in total blocks (115) and blocks per set (2.74), while ranking fourth overall in assisted blocks (108) and second in solo blocks (61).
 
The purple and white net play is strong across the board, with the Mustangs also near the top of the pack offensively. Western's attack is one of the most efficient in the league, boasting a .203 hitting percentage.
 
Veltman leads the Mustangs offensive effort with 3.15 kills and 4.5 points per set – making her the second highest scoring athlete in the OUA – and a team-leading .391 hitting percentage. Langegger follows with 2.05 kills per set, and 2.7 points.
 
Jessica Lam and Kat Tsiofas have been the brains behind the purple and white attack, trading time on the floor as setter. Regardless of which athlete hits the court this weekend, fans can rest assured that the Mustangs are in good hands.
 
Western currently sits second in the OUA West, behind McMaster.
 
Saturday, January 27 – Western v. Nipissing at 1pm – Watch live at OUA.tv
 
The Nipissing Lakers come down from North Bay on Saturday to take on the Western Mustangs, as they look to rise through a competitive OUA East Division. The Lakers are 6-5 so far this season and in fifth place – but the tied for second Gaels and Varsity Blues are only two wins ahead.
 
The Lakers can be expected to test Western's serve receive as they average 2.05 aces per set. Their average makes them one of the best serving teams in the league, sitting behind only Ryerson and Queen's.
 
Middles Annabelle Harvey and Olivia Robinson in particular have been causing trouble for their competitors from the base line, alongside Shayla Kessler and Cassandra Dobson. All four athletes have 14 or more aces on the books while the team as a whole ranks relatively low in errors.
 
Western's serve receive ranks in the middle of the pack within the league, but has lacked consistency when it comes to handling teams who serve with similar strength.
 
In November's contest with Queen's, the Mustangs allowed only one ace over three sets – a far cry from Queen's current 2.15 per set. However, when taking on Ryerson Western struggled to temper the Rams and allowed seven aces over three sets.
 
The outcome of the game may depend on whether the Mustangs play like they did against Queen's, or against Ryerson.
 
Sunday January 28 – Western v. York at 1pm – Watch live at OUA.tv
 
The York Lions sit only one spot above the Lakers in the East with a 7-4 record. A successful weekend could allow the team move into second as they only sit one win behind Queen's and Toronto.
 
Despite hitting a rough streak and dropping their two most recent games, the York Lions can be expected to put up a fight on the floor.
 
Offensively speaking, the Lions are one of the highest scoring teams in the OUA. They average 11.58 kills per set (4th), but only hold a .177 hitting percentage. Quantity seems to be the cornerstone of York's game as they lack the efficiency held by Western, or Ryerson.
 
For libero Courtney Sestric and second leading passer Langegger this likely means seeing more rally action as the Lions send playable balls over the net. It allows provides more opportunity for Veltman and Grasman to show off the OUA leading Mustangs block.