Pandas volleyball squad set to face undefeated UBC

Pete Yee

The U of A Pandas volleyball squad will try and rebound this weekend after being swept last weekend in Brandon. The pair of losses to the Bobcats stretched the Pandas losing streak to three games, and while some might be worried about the recent slide heading into the playoffs, head coach Laurie Eisler isn't among them. She believes that her team is just working through some kinks heading into the Canada West playoffs.

“I don’t believe that we’re off track," Eisler commented. "We just have to keep working hard and the success will come."

It’s not going to be an easy tune-up, though, as the final weekend series is a matchup with the top-ranked and undefeated UBC Thunderbirds. The T-Birds march into the U of A after taking six-straight sets from the Manitoba Bisons last weekend, sewing up the number-one seed and a bye to the semi-finals in the process.

Having only lost seven sets all season long, the T-Birds will be a very stiff test for the Pandas, but Eisler believes her team is up to the challenge.

“It’s always a great opportunity to test ourselves against the number-one seed, but our mindset is always that we want to win.”

While UBC's starting six — Liz Cordonier, Shanice Marcelle, Katie Tyzuk, Kyla Richey, Jessica Vonschilling, and Jen Hinze — don't have eye-popping individual stats, they're leading the way in areas are vital to their success, such as hitting percentage, assists per set, and assisted blocks.

The Pandas are no strangers to great teamwork either, as they lead the league in assists and are second in blocks this season. A very large part of the teams success with moving the ball comes from the play of sophomore Jaki Ellis. She leads the Canada West in assists and her coach believes it has a lot to do with her ability to adjust to her surroundings during play.

“Jaki is great because she can adjust to each one of her teammates strengths to be successful. She doesn’t force others to change to accommodate her.”

The Pandas enter this weekend in the middle of a tightly packed playoff race, with eight teams jockeying for the seven playoff positions, and with a good chance of finishing in second which would give them home court in the first round of the playoffs.

The action kicks off at 6:30 p.m. on Friday in the Main Gym, while the second game goes Saturday at 8 p.m.