LANGLEY, B.C. – The defending national champion Trinity Western men's volleyball team opens the conference playoffs hosting Mount Royal Thursday and Friday, with a potential tie-breaker Saturday at the Langley Events Centre. 
 
WEEKEND PREVIEW
Feb. 20 vs. Mount Royal (9-13) – Langley Events Centre | 8 p.m. (PT) | WATCH
Feb. 21 vs. Mount Royal (9-13) – Langley Events Centre | 8 p.m. (PT) | WATCH
*Feb. 22 vs. Mount Royal (9-13) – Langley Events Centre | 8 p.m. (PT) | WATCH
*if necessary
 
THE WEEKEND STORY

• The Spartans recently wrapped up the regular season splitting games on the road against Thompson Rivers. TWU finished atop the conference standings at 20-2.  
• Mount Royal concluded the season as the 8^th seed with a 9-13 record, having won just twice over its last five games. 
• Spartans outside Eric Loeppky (Steinbach, Man.) led the entire conference in hitting percentage this season (.443), while middle Pearson Eshenko (Banff, Alta.) leads in blocks-per set (1.42). 
• TWU is 14-2 all-time against Mount Royal, recently winning both its matchups earlier this season (Jan. 10-11). 

 
BY THE NUMBERS
Trinity Western
Team Stats (rank in CW)
Points Per Set: 17.2 (1^st)
Team Hitting Percentage: .380 (1^st)
 
Individual Stats (rank in CW)
Kills Per Set: 3.89 – Eric Loeppky (2^nd)
Hitting Percentage: .443 – Eric Loeppky (1^st)
Assists Per Set: 10.29 – Derek Epp (1^st)
Blocks Per Set: 1.42 – Pearson Eshenko (1^st)

Mount Royal
Team Stats (rank in CW)
Points Per Set: 14.4 (10^th) 
Team Hitting Percentage: .219 (7^th) 
 
Individual Stats (rank in CW)
Kills Per Set: 3.21 – Trent Mounter (10^th)
Hitting Percentage: .294 – Luis Lange (9^th)
Assists Per Set: 7.74 – Keal Prince (9^th)
Blocks Per Set: 0.61 – Jace Martin (26^th)
 
TRINITY WESTERN SPARTANS (20-2)
Canada West Standings: 1^st
Last Weekend: at Thompson Rivers (W 3-0, L 3-1)
Streak: L1
Regular Season Form: W-W-W-W-L
 
MOUNT ROYAL COUGARS (9-13)
Canada West Standings: 8^th
Last Weekend: vs. Winnipeg (L 3-1, W 3-0)
Streak: W1
Regular Season Form: L-L-W-L-W
 
About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 11 sports in the Canada West conference, including women's and men's soccer, volleyball, basketball, cross country and track & field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes in the British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League (BCIHL) in men's hockey and as an independent team in men's rugby. The men's and women's hockey programs will begin playing in Canada West and U SPORTS in 2020-21. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 12 U SPORTS team championships and 27 Canada West team championships and two BCIHL championships.
 
-TW-