The Brock women's volleyball team, who haven't played a game since Nov. 24, returns to the court for the first time on Saturday, Jan. 12 versus Western. The Badgers and Mustangs are tied for second place in the OUA West division. The matchup promises to be a defensive battle as Brock and Western lead the OUA in blocks per set with 2.45 and 2.26, respectively. As a team, the Badgers lead the Mustangs in every statistical category.

Location: Bob Davis Gymnasium Time: 2 p.m.

ABOUT THE BADGERS (5-4): After a rocky start to the season with a 1-3 record, the Badgers rattled off four consecutive wins in November and ended the first half with a close loss to the No. 6 Waterloo Warriors. "There were a couple of close ones, especially that one against Waterloo, will haunt me for a bit because we could have been a little bit more solid in places," said head coach Steve Delaney. "It was a successful first half, but it was just that, a first half, so we have to come out stronger and even more focused in the second half if we want to be in the playoffs at the end of the season." The Badgers suffered numerous injuries in the first half, so to maintain a winning record with injuries to key players was great, added Delaney. Laura Condotta is consistently in the top of the OUA in total kills and kills per set. Rookie Jaime Holland remains one of the OUA leaders in blocks per set (1.00). Grace Pyatt, who was named to the all-rookie team, has been in the top five for majority of the season in blocks per set (0.96). Emily Armstrong is in the top five for assists per set (8.43). "We're in a decent position, but we have our work cut out for us," said Delaney. "We're going to need all hands on deck."

ABOUT THE MUSTANGS (5-4): The Mustangs had an opposite start to the season compared to the Badgers by winning three consecutive games, however they ended the first half with back-to-back losses. Western's offence runs through fourth-year middle Kelsey Veltman, who is fifth in the OUA with 3.34 kills per set, and second to Brock's Laura Condotta in total kills (117). The Badgers will have to get through the Mustangs' blocks leader, Kristina Curcin, who sits just behind Badgers' Jaime Holland and Grace Pyatt in blocks per set (0.94). 

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

Thursday, Jan. 10

HOME

Men's Volleyball vs. Jastrzebski Wegiel (Bob Davis Gym), 7 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 11

AWAY

Men's Hockey at Toronto (Varsity Arena), 7 p.m.

Women's Hockey at Laurier (Waterloo Rec Complex), 7:07 p.m.

Track & Field at Sharon Anderson Memorial Meet (U of T Athletic Centre Field House)

Saturday, Jan. 12

HOME

Wrestling Brock Open (Ian D. Beddis Gym), 9 a.m.

Women's Volleyball vs. Western (Bob Davis Gym), 2 p.m.

Men's Volleyball vs. Western (Bob Davis Gym), 4 p.m.

AWAY

Men's Hockey at Waterloo (CIF Arena), 2 p.m.

Women's Basketball at Waterloo (PAC Gym), 6 p.m.

Men's Basketball at Waterloo (PAC Gym), 8 p.m.

Track & Field at Sharon Anderson Memorial Meet (U of T Athletic Centre Field House)

Women's Fencing at Carleton Invitational (Norm Fenn Gymnasium), 8 a.m.

Sunday, Jan. 13

HOME

Women's Volleyball vs. Windsor (Bob Davis Gym), 1 p.m.

Jason Pearson Memorial Game: Men's Volleyball vs. Windsor (Bob Davis Gym), 3 p.m.

AWAY

Women's Fencing at Carleton Invitational (Norm Fenn Gymnasium), 8 a.m.