LANGLEY, B.C. – The Spartans continue their quest to defend last seasons' Canada West Championship as they host Thompson Rivers in the conference semifinals at the Langley Events Centre.
 
WEEKEND PREVIEW
Feb. 27 vs. Thompson Rivers (16-8) – Langley Events Centre | 6 p.m. (PT) | WATCH
Feb. 28 vs. Thompson Rivers (16-8) – Langley Events Centre | 7 p.m. (PT) | WATCH
*Feb. 29 vs. Thompson Rivers (16-8) – Langley Events Centre | 6 p.m. (PT) | WATCH
*if necessary
 
THE WEEKEND STORY

• TWU is coming off a pair of home victories over Winnipeg in their quarter-final matchup last week (3-1, 3-0), while the WolfPack swept their series against MacEwan on the road (3-1, 3-2). 
• The Spartans have won a collective 10 consecutive games across the regular season and playoffs, including defeating Thompson Rivers in their regular season finale two weeks ago (Feb. 14-15) in Kamloops. 
• Spartans outside Hilary Howe (Calgary) will look to lead the Spartans side once again, after recording a collective 32 kills and hitting .441 over last weekend. Howe ranked second in regular season kills-per set (3.95). 
• Howe was named a conference first team all-star this week for the second time in her career (2018-19), while teammate Avery Heppell (Langley) was named a conference second team all-star. 
• Thompson Rivers' outside hitter Kendra Finch was also named a first team all-star, and Kseniya Kocyigit made the second team.
• TWU holds an impressive 30-2 record overall against the WolfPack, having won its last nine games including sweeping Thompson Rivers in the 2016 Canada West quarter-finals (3-1, 3-1). 

 
BY THE NUMBERS
Trinity Western
Team Stats (rank in CW)
Points Per Set: 17.8 (1^st)
Team Hitting Percentage: .251 (2^nd)
 
Individual Stats (rank in CW)
Kills Per Set: 3.95 – Hilary Howe (2^nd)
Hitting Percentage: .348 – Avery Heppell (2^nd)
Assists Per Set: 6.71 – Dora Komlodi (9^th)
Blocks Per Set: 1.30 – Mikaelyn Sych (1^st)

Thompson Rivers
Team Stats (rank in CW)
Points Per Set: 16.2 (6^th)
Team Hitting Percentage: .196 (5^th)
 
Individual Stats (rank in CW)
Kills Per Set: 3.16 – Kendra Finch (6^th)
Hitting Percentage: .318 – Kseniya Kocyigit (4^th)
Assists Per Set: 6.03 – Anastasiia Muzyka (12^th)
Blocks Per Set: 1.05 – Kseniya Kocyigit (8^th)
 
TRINITY WESTERN SPARTANS (22-2, 2-0)
Canada West Standings: 1^st
Last Weekend: vs. Winnipeg (W 3-1, W 3-0)
Streak: W10
Regular Season Form: W-W-W-W-W
 
THOMPSON RIVERS WOLFPACK (16-8, 2-0)
Canada West Standings: 5^th
Last Weekend: at MacEwan (W 3-1, W 3-2)
Streak: W2
Regular Season Form: L-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-