The No. 1 University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's volleyball team hosts the Waterloo Warriors in OUA quarter-final action this Saturday afternoon (Mar. 4) at Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport.
 
First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m., with the game also being streamed live on OUA.tv. Advance tickets are on sale here. U of T students are FREE with a valid T-Card.
 
A Head-to-Head Look:
 
The Varsity Blues finished first in the OUA East division, achieving a perfect 19-0 regular season record for the second consecutive season.
 
Meanwhile, the Warriors claimed fourth in the OUA West with a 9-10 record.
 
U of T defeated Waterloo in straight sets in their only regular season match, which Toronto hosted this past weekend (Feb. 24) at Goldring Centre.
 
Blues to Watch:
 
2015-16 OUA East player of the year and U SPORTS rookie of the year Alina Dormann has once again delivered a stellar season, leading the OUA and ranking second in U SPORTS in both kills (4.39) and points per set (5.3).
 
The Ottawa native recorded double-digit points in every game this season, while notching 20 or more points five times, including a new single-game career-high of 31.5 points in a 3-2 victory over Ryerson on Nov. 25. Dormann also set new career-highs in total blocks (36) and digs (167) on the season, displaying the overall game that has made her a key threat to any of the Blues opposition.
 
Assisting Dormann and the entire U of T attack is fifth-year setter Madelyn Mandryk, who led the province in assists per set (9.76) for the third consecutive year. Mandryk's leadership has helped guide a young Varsity Blues squad, which has been challenged in three five-set thrillers in 2016-17. 
 
Yet, Mandryk has also provided a defensive presence, posting a career-high 198 digs to rank eighth in the OUA in digs per set (3.19), alongside fourth-year libero Asli Ersozoglu who finished third in the province averaging 4.48.
 
Warriors to Watch:
 
Finishing fifth in total kills (199) in the OUA, third-year outside hitter Claire Mackenzie has proven to be a focal point for the Warriors offensive attack.
 
Playing in 69 sets for the second straight season, the Vancouver native increased her points per set average by nearly a full marker, registering 3.4 in 2016-17 as opposed to 2.5 in 2015-16. Mackenzie also led the Warriors in their previous outing against the Blues last weekend, notching eight points on six kills and two solo blocks.
 
Meanwhile, veteran middle Casey Clunas, who missed Waterloo's match with Toronto, recorded her best statistical season as a Warrior in her fifth year of play. Clunas is a strong presence at the net, finishing seventh in total blocks (57) and third in assisted blocks (45) in the OUA. The 5-foot-10 middle also averaged 1.70 kills and 2.5 points per set this season.
 
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