They lost out on top spot by a tiebreaker, but the Trinity Western Spartans women's volleyball enters the post-season as the hottest team in Canada West.
The Spartans won their last five matches to finish the regular season at 19-5, good for second place. It also gives them a home date this weekend as they host the Brandon Bobcats in a Canada West quarter-final best-of-three showdown at the Langley Events Centre.
Games one and two are Feb. 12 and 13 at 6 p.m. and the third match, if necessary, would be Feb. 14. The winner advances to Edmonton the following week where the Alberta Pandas will host the Canada West Final Four championships.
The Spartans enter the post-season after equalling a program-record with 19 regular season victories.
Fifth-year middle Alicia Perrin finished second in Canada West with 1.48 blocks per set and finished as the all-time leading blocker in conference history with 512 blocks. She shattered the previous record held by former Spartan Dayna Jansen Van Doorn, who had 384.
Perrin's 136 blocks this season — which tied her for the Canada West lead — was also a new record and a big reason the Spartans led the country with 3.13 blocks per set.
The attack was led by Sophie Carpentier, who had 3.28 kills per set.