VANCOUVER - Riding a four-game winning streak the No.5 ranked UBC Thunderbirds (4-2) men's volleyball will be in Winnipeg this weekend to take on the University of Winnipeg Wesmen (3-3) Friday and Saturday evening.
Sitting in second spot in the conference after the first three weeks of the season the Thunderbirds only two losses this season have come at the hands of No.1 ranked Trinity Western. After playing five of their first six games at home, this weekend will be the 'Birds first real road trip as they make the trek to Manitoba to take on a Wesmen team that is coming off back-to-back losses to Mount Royal University this past weekend.
UBC has had to deal with their share of injuries as well. Outside hitter
Jarrid Ireland has yet to play a regular season game due to a foot injury, while setter
Milan Nikic continues to recover from a sprained ankle.
In the mean time
Ben Chow is eighth in the conference in kills, averaging 3.70 per set.
Ian Perry has filled in admirably at the setter position due to injuries to Nikic and
Austin Hinchey and as a result four in the conference in assists averaging 10.09 per set. Another player who has benefited from increased playing time due to injuries is
Gabriel Aaron. The second-year player has played in 20 sets this year and is averaging 2.35 kills per set, second on the team only to Chow.
Game times this weekend are 5:30 pm PST on Friday and 4:00 pm PST on Saturday. Both can be seen live on
canadawest.tv.
