Jefferson Hagen / MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Staying competitive down the stretch of a season that will end without a playoff berth is the great challenge for the MacEwan Griffins women's volleyball team.
The 2-16 Griffins will have an opportunity to play spoilers when they visit the 8-10 Brandon Bobcats for a pair of matches (Friday, 5 p.m. MT and Saturday, 4 p.m. MT, both on Canada West TV).
"They're a team that's fighting for a spot and had a really good (performance) last weekend," said Griffins head coach Ken Briggs. "They're certainly another team that we can compete with.
"They're not going to beat us with big size or anything like that. They have a tremendous setter (Mary Thomson) and they have one top hitter (Nikala Majewski, who's fifth in Canada West in kills/set).
"We have to prepare for two very elite athletes and a team coming off a very big UBC win."
The Bobcats upset the defending national champion Thunderbirds 3-1 in Vancouver last Saturday, so they're riding a high. The Griffins have deserved better results in many matches this season, but they're coming in off a 3-0 loss to Regina at home that was one they'd like to forget.
"I didn't think we had the emotional investment we needed," said Briggs.
"We were down to one out of five seniors, but now they're back," he added of Karly Edgar, Kate Rozendaal, Claire McLoughlin and Cassidy Kinsella, who are returning or recovering from various ailments.
"That's pretty big when you're looking for leadership and emotion. So, having that group back this week has already changed things."
Briggs is hoping to see a response in his group as they head to Brandon.
"Whenever you travel in this league, it's tough and Brandon's probably one of the toughest places to play," he said. "We're looking forward to it.
"The girls still look forward to playing, that's the big thing. How do we make it better from last week? That's all we can go by and, as individuals keep getting their opportunities. We're growing."
With many players in the lineup who will return next season, the Griffins can still gain something from the rest of their 2017-18 schedule, which will conclude with a road trip to Calgary on Feb. 9-10 and a pair of home matches against Winnipeg Feb. 16-17.
"It's like it's been all along," said Briggs. "We're just trying to be better every weekend and trying to be more consistent. Every weekend it seems there's a new person that stands out. We haven't gotten to where the group stands out together. Every weekend somebody's going to lead the pack, but we've been very erratic as a group.
"I thought last weekend was our most disconnected, yet I can never be really down because there was a lot of really good things," he added. "We forced a playoff team to play unconscious. They were awesome.
"I respect the accolades and nice things that are said about us, but it would be nice to earn something along the way."