The University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's volleyball team travel to London this Friday (Feb. 20) for an OUA quarter-final showdown versus the No. 9 nationally ranked Western Mustangs.
 
Toronto enters the quarter-finals as the seventh seed following a 11-9 (W-L) regular season. The Blues saw ups-and-downs throughout the 2025-26 campaign, splitting first semester with a 4-4 record before winning seven of eight matches after the winter break. Momentum slowed down the stretch though as U of T dropped the final four matches of the regular season. When the Blues have been firing on all cylinders it has been because of the combination of offensive depth and defensive effort. Both second-year standout Julia Liu and fourth-year veteran Olivia Zhu finished in the OUA Top 7 in kills per set, showcasing the offences ability to attack from either side. In addition, third-year libero leads the Blues defensively ranking Top 5 in the province in both total digs and digs per set. The all-around skill of the team also extends to the service line where four Blues have registered 20 or more service aces. Delivering an OUA quarter-final upset a season ago, U of T will be looking to repeat the feat and reach the OUA Final Four for a second straight year.
 
Meanwhile, Western finished second in the OUA standings with a 16-4 overall record. This included a 10-match win streak in the middle of the season, allowing the Mustangs to establish themselves as a true contender this season. Offensively, Western registered the second most kills and second most points across the OUA. Leading the charge was the duo of outsider hitter Emma Nuntic and middle Ava Ebert, who combined for 475.5 total points, providing the Mustangs with a strong net presence and effective outside attack. The Blues were exposed to this in their final weekend of the regular season, falling in back-to-back matches to the Mustangs. The true game changer in those matches though was Western libero Madeline Pelosi as the OUA digs leader dived all over the court to extend rallies and wear opponents out.
 
SCHEDULE
Friday, Feb. 20 | 6 p.m.
London, Ont. | Alumni Hall
Live Stats
Watch
 
2025-26 REGULAR SEASON STAT LEADERS
Toronto
Points: Julia Liu | 289 points
Kills: Julia Liu | 249 kills
Blocks: Thea Ziesmann | 48 blocks
Assists: Marina Gustke | 576 assists
Digs: Delaney Watson | 256 digs
 
Western
Points: Emma Buntic | 297 points
Kills: Emma Buntic | 242 kills
Blocks: Ava Ebert | 71 blocks
Assists: Thea Ishida | 238 assists
Digs: Madeline Pelosi | 291 digs
 
HISTORY
Last Five Games:
Feb. 14, 2026 | Western 3, Toronto 1
Feb. 13, 2026 | Western 3, Toronto 2
Nov. 11, 2023 | Toronto 2, Western 2
Nov. 10, 2023 | Western 3, Toronto 2
Jan. 29, 2023 | Western 3, Toronto 2