LANGLEY, B.C. – Trinity Western's men's volleyball team hosts the Brandon Bobcats in the conference semifinals beginning this Thursday at the Langley Events Centre. 
 
WEEKEND PREVIEW
Feb. 27 vs. Brandon (13-9) – Langley Events Centre | 8 p.m. (PT) | WATCH
Feb. 28 vs. Brandon (13-9) – Langley Events Centre | 8:30 p.m. (PT) | WATCH
*Feb. 29 vs. Brandon (13-9) – Langley Events Centre | TBD | WATCH
*if necessary
 
THE WEEKEND STORY

• The Spartans face a Brandon side they have met frequently in the post season action, defeating the Bobcats in the U SPORTS Championship (3-0) last March after falling to Brandon in last years' Canada West Championship (3-2).
• TWU is coming off sweeping its quarter-final matchup against Mount Royal last week (3-0, 3-0), while Brandon comes to town after defeating Calgary in two games (3-0, 3-1) at home. 
• The Spartans last faced Brandon at home in the regular season, winning both games by a 3-1 score (Jan. 31-Feb. 1). 
• Four Spartans were recently named conference all-stars, as Eric Loeppky (Steinbach, Man.) and Derek Epp (Winnipeg) made the first team, Pearson Eshenko (Banff, Alta.) made the second team, while first-year Mathias Elser (Calgary) was named to the all-rookie team.
• Three Bobcats received honours, with outside Elliott Viles joining Loeppky and Epp on the first team, Reece Dixon makin the second team, and first-year Jens Watt joining Elser on the all-rookie team.  
• The Spartans finished the regular season with a 20-2 record atop the conference standings, while Brandon finished fourth at 13-9. 
• TWU holds a 21-11 overall record against the Bobcats. 

 
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)

Brandon
Team Stats (rank in CW)
Points Per Set: 15.6 (4^th)
Team Hitting Percentage: .293 (4^th)
 
Individual Stats (rank in CW)
Kills Per Set: 3.47 – Elliott Viles (5^th)
Hitting Percentage: .359 – Robin Baghdady (3^rd)
Assists Per Set: 9.11 – Reece Dixon (3^rd)
Blocks Per Set: 0.90 – Mason Metcalf (8^th)
 
TRINITY WESTERN SPARTANS (20-2, 2-0)
Canada West Standings: 1^st
Last Weekend: vs. Mount Royal (W 3-0, W 3-0)
Streak: W2
Regular Season Form: W-W-L-W-W
 
BRANDON BOBCATS (13-9, 2-0)
Canada West Standings: 4^th
Last Weekend: vs. Calgary (W 3-0, W 3-1)
Streak: W2
Regular Season Form: W-L-L-W-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-