Weekend Preview: Volleyball Huskies host Lions, Basketball Huskies venture to Calgary
Women’s Volleyball Preview
Game: Friday, November 8 vs. Ambrose University Lions (1-2) at 6:00pm
Location: Syncrude Sport & Wellness Centre
Watch: https://acactv.ca/ & Telus Optik 1998
As one of three teams in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) remaining at 4-0 this season. By taking care of business one game at a time, the Huskies have taken their time to build their record, culminating with their reverse sweep of the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens last Saturday.
Now, they’ll spend the rest of November battling against the ACAC’s South Division starting with a home game against the Ambrose University Lions Friday in a single-game weekend.
“They’re athletic, they’re going to be very dangerous offensively,” Head Coach Tommy Sloan said of Friday’s opposition. “They run a really fast offence so we have to be ready to deal with a bit of speed this week.
“We like how we play on our home court and we’re expecting a good battle that we are pretty confident we can come out on top of.”
Last year’s ACAC Silver medalists have topped the South Division in each of the past two seasons and beat the Huskies in last year’s quarterfinal matchup, but the Huskies have owned the regular season bragging rights recently with wins in their lone meeting during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns. At 1-2, they’ll not only want to upend the Huskies, but pull themselves back to an even 2-2 Friday.
Player to watch: Taya McCarthy (Tumber Ridge, B.C.) has become an excellent addition to the Huskies’ starting lineup this season, accumulating 33 kills to date over her first four matches. It has come through greater opportunity, but McCarthy is seizing the role so far and earning continued chances to take to the court.
Men’s Volleyball Preview
Game: Friday, November 8 vs. Ambrose University Lions (1-2) at 6:00pm
Location: Syncrude Sport & Wellness Centre
Watch: https://acactv.ca/ & Telus Optik 1998
Following their first setback of the season, the Keyano Huskies Men’s Volleyball team will look to bounce back with a win at home against the Ambrose University Lions. The Huskies have had the Lions’ number in their past two regular season meetings, winning in a four-set match last year and winning in five the year before.
“Ambrose has always been a tough opponent for us,” Head Coach Keegan Kuhr said. “We’ll look forward to the opportunity. We’ve played really well at home so hopefully the home crowd and the home environment should gives us the edge we need to beat them.”
Also on the line for the Huskies is a home winning streak of 18 games that started on November 25, 2022.
Player to watch: Brody Kopec (Red Deer, Alta.) has played a key role in the Huskies’ last three games amassing 36 kills across 13 sets. The Huskies have numerous pieces to tout on their offence with the likes of João Cunha and Rafael Parada among others, but having Kopec cement his name in that group would spell trouble for opposing teams moving forward.
Women’s Baskeball Preview
Game: Friday, November 8 vs. Ambrose University Lions (1-2) at 6:00pm, Saturday, November 9 vs. St. Mary’s University Lightning (3-0) at 6:00pm
Location: Calgary, Alta.
Watch: https://acactv.ca/ & Telus Optik 1998
The Women’s Basketball Huskies were in a similar situation last week, facing off against two different South Division opponents at different spots in the standings, but it’ll be important to see how they approach that this weekend.
Against the Ambrose Lions, the Huskies have won their last two regular season matchups, though the biggest margin of victory in those two games was 13 points. The key for the Huskies will be in not looking past the Lions to eye up the Lightning.
One of three undefeated teams left in the ACAC, the Lightning had the Huskies’ number last season and will look to deliver another win on their home court. The key in that win was the start where the Lightning led 21-12 after one quarter and ended up winning by that same amount.
Player to watch: Maja Besic (Pancevo, Serbia) was key in the Huskies’ last two wins against the Lions, posting 35 points and 18 rebounds combined in those two games.
She was on her game in the Huskies’ opening home weekend, which included a 30-point performance Thursday against Red Deer, her third time shooting over 80 percent from the field in four games this season. Her early performance could set the tone for the Huskies in both contests.
Men’s Baskeball Preview
Game: Friday, November 8 vs. Ambrose University Lions (0-3) at 6:00pm, Saturday, November 9 vs. St. Mary’s University Lightning (3-0) at 6:00pm
Location: Calgary, Alta.
Watch: https://acactv.ca/ & Telus Optik 1998
The Keyano Huskies Men’s Basketball team will face two sides of the ACAC’s South Division in their weekend trip to Calgary, though neither opponent should be taken lightly.
Friday, the Huskies will take on an 0-3 Ambrose Lions team that will be eager to score their first win of the season. There’s no better team to give an extra effort towards than the Huskies. After two home wins put them in a tie for the division lead, they’ll look to leapfrog the Lakeland Rustlers, who’ll face the same opponents as the Huskies, except on opposite days.
Opposing teams may zero in on good starts against the Huskies, whose 66 first-quarter points have been matched by their opposition through the first four games.
Against the Lightning, the Huskies will look to avenge a pre-season loss by just a single point back in early October.
Player to watch: It may not be as exciting as a three-point shot, but Saturday’s matchup against the Lightning will pit two of the top free-throw specialists in Keenan Miller (Columbia, Missouri) and Caleb Jipp against each other. The pair are both 21-for-22 entering this weekend with Miller riding a streak of three-straight games of perfect shooting from the free throw line, going 14-for-14 in that span.