VANCOUVER - The No. 4-ranked UBC Thunderbirds men's volleyball team (4-2) will look to stay hot as they head to Manitoba this weekend to take on the Winnipeg Wesmen (4-4) in a two-game series. The two sides will square off on Friday, November 13, and Saturday, November 14. Both games are scheduled for a 5:30 p.m. (PT) start time.
 
After losing two games against the Manitoba Bisons to start the season, the 'Birds have ripped off four straight wins, with two coming against the Regina Cougars, and two coming against the Calgary Dinos. UBC's wins over the Dinos were particularly impressive, as the T-Birds not only beat a team who was ranked No. 3 in the country at the time, but did so by only dropping one set over two nights.
 
UBC's attack hasn't been based on volume, but rather efficiency, in the early portion of the season. Third-year outside hitter Irvan Brar (Surrey, B.C.), who leads the T-Birds with a kills per set rate of 3.33, sits just 15th in the category in Canada West. However, Brar (0.297, 10th), as well as fellow T-Birds, Coquitlam native Mat Guidi (3.07, eighth), and Calgary-born Mac McNicol (0.312, seventh) all rank top-10 in the conference in attack efficiency percentage.
 
On the other side of the court, the Winnipeg Wesmen are also coming in on a roll after shaking off a rough start to the season. Winnipeg, like UBC, have won four straight games heading into Friday's match, taking down UBC Okanagan and Thompson Rivers twice apiece. The Wesmen's attack has been lead by third-year outside hitter David Bommersbach, who sits third in Canada West with 121, sixth in kill per set with 4.03, and sixth in points scored per set with 4.6.
 
After the series with Winnipeg, the T-Birds' will head to Calgary to take on the Mount Royal Cougars in a back-to-back set on Friday, November 20 and Saturday, November 21.