VANCOUVER – The sixth-ranked UBC Thunderbirds men's volleyball team is travelling to Kelowna for a Friday-Saturday doubleheader against the UBC Okanagan Heat.

The games are scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. on Friday and at 7 p.m. on Saturday.

With a record of 10-6 in Canada West league play, the Thunderbirds are in a battle to earn hosting duties in the conference quarter-finals, which go to the teams that finish second through fourth in the standings. UBC is currently fifth but just one win back of fourth-place Winnipeg.

The T-Birds are looking to get back into the win column after dropping two matches at undefeated Alberta.

UBC senior middle Alex Russell (Surrey, B.C.) is the Canada West leader in both hitting percentage (.431) and blocks per set (1.21). Outside hitter Irvan Brar (Surrey, B.C.) is 17th in the league with 2.96 kills per set.

Byron Keturakis (Surrey, B.C.) and Milan Nikic have split time at the starting setter position. Keturakis  is 11th in the Canada West with an average of 8.11 assists per set, while Nikic is 14th by producing at a rate of 5.76 per set.

The Heat had a bye last weekend. They were swept by Alberta the week before at home in Kelowna.

UBCO's Lars Bornemann ranks 13th among Canada West players in kills per set (3.22) and also owns the best hitting percentage on the team at .236, which puts him at 23rd in the league.

Kristof Schlagintweit is eighth in the conference in assists per set with 8.87.

As a team, UBC is second in the Canada West with 2.61 blocks per set, while Okanagan is eighth at 2.21. The T-Birds are fourth in kills per set with 12.68 while the Heat are 11th with an average of 10.92. In the hitting percentage category, UBC is eighth at .248 while UBCO is ninth at .204.