When the 2019-20 Canada West men's volleyball regular season schedule was released, the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack knew the final weekend of the season would be the teams toughest.

That is because the schedule makers slated the defending national champion Trinity Western University Spartans to come to the Tournament Capital Center on February 14-15 th.

And as the Valentine's Day weekend approaches, the Pack know that they could have their slim playoff hopes broken as easily as the chocolate handed out on February 14^th.

Trinity Western is the #1 ranked team in U SPORTS and carries a 19-1 record into the weekend, winners of their last 18 matches.   The WolfPack sit in a tie for ninth place with the Manitoba Bisons.  Both squads at 7-13.  Thompson Rivers has won their last four matches while the Bisons, who host Saskatchewan this weekend are losers of their last seven.

The Spartans and WolfPack will do battle Friday night (Feb 14) at 5 PM PDT at the TCC Champ court and again on Saturday (Feb 15) at 6:45 PM to close out the regular season.
A special weekend in Kamloops-Valentine's Day aside.  

Friday's match is the WolfPack's annual  # I Believe You night which brings awareness to survivors of sexual abuse.   Saturday will see the WolfPack honoring their four graduating players: Joshua Mullaney (Calgary, AB), Kyle Behiels (Edmonton, AB),  Charlie Bringloe (Waterloo, ON) and Sam Taylor Parks (Kelowna, BC).  The Pack will also recognize the two fifth year players on the Trinity squad: Pearson Eshenko (Banff, AB) and Jacob Kern (Edmonton, AB).

They will be shown on a pay-per view basis on Canada West TV presented by Co-op.  You can access them by accessing: https://cw.yaretv.com/.  

James Matthews and former WolfPack women's volleyball setter Katie Mathews (Woo): the only husband/wife webcasting crew in the Canada West will have the call of the matches. CFJC TV's Dylana Milobar  is the in game host both  matches.

Results will be available on the WolfPack social media platforms and their website  www.goWolfPack.ca.

Past History:

The teams met last year in Langley (Jan 18-19, 2019).  Trinity Western won both matches in three straight sets.  The first night the scores were 25-18,25-17,25-18.  Eric Loeppky ( 4^th year, outside hitter, Steinbach, MB) had 10 kills in 16 chances while Derek Epp (3^rd year, setter, Saskatoon, SK)  had 30 assists.  Tim Dobbert had 7 kills in 21 swings for TRU with Anton Napolitano (4^th year, setter, Victoria, AUS) having 11 assists.

The next night (Jan 19), the scores were 25-14,25-22,25-20 in favor of the Spartans.  Loeppky had 14 kills in 24 swings while Epp had 31 assists.  Dobbert had 10 kills in 26 swings, Taylor Parks was 7 for 10 and Napolitano added 25 assists
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The Spartans and Pack met in last year's Canada West semi final. Trinity won in two straight taking the first match 25-20,25-22,22-25,25-15 on February 28^th . The following night (Mar 1), Trinity took the match and the series winning in straight sets (25-22,25-17,25-21).

FUN FACT: Spartans head coach Ben Josephson is also the assistant coach with Canada's senior women's volleyball squad and has spent 13 years at the helm at Trinity Western.

Players to Watch:

TRINITY WESTERN:

Eric Loeppky : leads the league in hitting percent (.442) and is second in kills per set (3.19). He has been a Canada West star of the week three times (first star Feb 4, second start Nov 26, third star Jan 28) this season and leads the Spartans with 219 kills, 25 service aces and is second in digs with 75 in 56 sets. 13 th all time in kills per set (3.628), 25 th all time in kills (999). Is the all time Canada West service ace leader (151) and service ace per set (0.586). He is 18^th in career points (1237.5) and sixth in all time points per set (4.549).
Jacob Kern: fifth in Canada West in hitting percent (.303).   He has 137 kills, 68 digs (third on team), 39 total blocks (third on team) and 21 service aces (third on team)
Derek Epp : tied for the lead in Canada West assists per set (10.21). has team leading 592 assists, 14 service aces, 30 total blocks in 58 sets.
Jessie Elser (2^nd year, outside hitter, Calgary, AB): tied for fourth in Canada West service aces per set (0.47). has 116 kills (fourth on team), 24 service aces (second on team) and 20 block assists in 51 sets.
Jackson Howe (3^rd year, middle, Calgary, AB): third in team kills (121) and in total blocks (32). He also has 12 service aces in 54 sets.
Pearson Eshenko: leads the Canada West in blocks per set (1.43) and the team in total blocks (90) playing in 63 sets. He also has 104 kills,19 service aces and 17 digs.


Thompson Rivers:

Landon Currie : is second in Canada West in digs (163) and is third in Canada West for digs pers set (2.04) . leads the Pack with 163 digs and is third on the team in assists (62)
Anton Napolitano : 23^rd in alltime Canada West career service aces (85),15 th in service aces per set (0.34).  He leads the team in assists (416) and is tied for third in total blocks (31)
Sam Taylor Parks  moved into fifth spot in all-time Canada West blocks (394).  He is third in league standings with 1.05 blocks per set. Enters weekend 22^nd on all time service ace list (89).  He is second on the team with 148 kills and leads the team in total blocks (84)

 Nimo Benne (1^st year, outside hitter, Castricum, Netherlands): the Canada West male second star of the week is third in kills (251). He leads the team in kills (2510, second in digs (123) and tied for third in total blocks (31).

Kyle Behiels: 28^th in all time Canada West career service aces (75), 17 th in service aces per set (0.331). He is second on the team in total blocks (42).
Charlie Bringloe:  enters weekend 26^th in all time service aces (80).  He is second on the team in total kills (1184) and has 75 digs (fourth on the team) and 27 total blocks (fifth on the team)
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COMMENTS OF WOLFPACK HEAD COACH PAT HENNELLY :
https://twitter.com/GoTRUWolfPack/status/1227770557489303552 
 
COMMENTS OF WOLFPACK  OUTSIDE HITTER CHARLIE BRINGLOE (5^TH YEAR, WATERLOO, ON):
https://twitter.com/GoTRUWolfPack/status/1227770486035075072 
 
COMMENTS OF WOLFPACK MIDDLE KYLE BEHIELS (5^TH YEAR, EDMONTON, AB):
https://twitter.com/GoTRUWolfPack/status/1227770424886345729 
 
COMMENTS OF WOLFPACK MIDDLE SAM TAYLOR PARKS (5^TH YEAR, KELOWNA, BC):
https://twitter.com/GoTRUWolfPack/status/1227770337800048640