With just two weeks left in the regular season, the playoff picture is becoming clearer, with both volleyball teams in the thick of the race. The men are looking for a sweep to stay in playoff contention while the women are just two points behind visiting Fraser Valley for fifth (click here for tickets). 

Women's volleyball (13-7) versus UFV (14-6) 
Manitoba will look to cap the regular season undefeated at home, as they are currently 11-0. Both teams are excellent at keeping rallies alive. Fraser Valley leads Canada West with 16.41 digs per set, while Manitoba isn't far behind at 14.68. 

Manitoba's Julia Arnold (4.29) and UFV's Emily Matsui (3.91) and Gabrielle Attieh (3.26) are all in the top ten in digs per set, while Attieh and Manitoba's rookie standout Raya Surinx are first and second in points per set, at 4.76 and 4.35, respectively. 

Surinx is also third in the conference, with 39 service aces, and she and her teammates will look to keep the Cascades on their toes with strong service pressure, leading to out of system plays.

The x-factor in the game could be Bisons captain Light Uchechukwu. She came in midway through the second set against 14-6 Winnipeg and was a major reason for the team's set win, and eventual 3-0 victory of their cross-town rivals. She, along with Surinx, Ella Gray, Brenna Bedosky and Eve Catojo all have over 100 kills on the year, while setter Katreena Bentley leads CanWest with 10.40 assists per set. 


Men's volleyball (7-13) versus UFV (4-18) 

Needing four points to potentially leap above TRU and Winnipeg for the eighth and final playoff spot in the conference, Manitoba will be a team on a mission this weekend. It's also seniors night, where setter Jack Mandryk, middle Brendan Warren and libero Mathieu Lavoie will be honoured in their final regular season home games as Bisons. 

Despite being down multiple starters, the Herd have rallied. Their young core of talent has proven all season that the future is bright, and that'll continue this week.

Last weekend against Winnipeg, rookie left side Rowan Krahn set a career high with ten digs, while leading attacker Eric Ogaranko tied a career high with 17 kills and freshman Jordon Heppner posted a career best five assisted blocks. All three of these athletes will be crucial this week, along with rookie middle Harrison Ens, who had 10.5 points last weekend, the second most in his promising career. 

Heppner could be the x-factor. The middle has hit at a .331 efficiency this year, flashing the talent that made him one of the best outside hitters in the province during high school at Steinbach. 

Mandryk is also 24 assists away from reaching the top ten in Canada West history (currently at 2,768). He'll go toe to toe with UFV's Jonas Van Huizen, who averages 8.44 assists per set, which is fifth in the conference.

Opposite dynamic middles Ens and Heppner will be Ryan Hampe, who leads the Cascades, and is second in the conference with 82 total blocks. The team's leading attacker is Nimo Benne, with 291 kills and a .345 hitting percentage.