By Reegan MacAulay

The Holland Hurricanes are inching closer and closer to conference championship action and will have some crucial games this weekend (Feb. 17-18) at home and on the road, including the final regular season home games of the season for women’s volleyball, and men’s and women’s basketball.

Here is everything you need to know for this weekend.

Women’s Volleyball

The women’s volleyball team has its eyes set on rebounding from a heartbreaking loss against the Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU) Mystics last Saturday, Feb. 10 in Halifax, N.S.

The squad, carrying a 9-7 record, will conclude the regular season this weekend by welcoming two teams to the McMillan Centre while having the task of defending the fourth-place seed in the conference.

The second-ranked Mount Allison Mounties are on a three-game winning streak and will look to extend it on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 7pm. Holland has yet to beat them after two past attempts. The ‘Canes will play a rematch against the third-ranked MSVU Mystics on Sunday, Feb. 18 at 3pm, who will come to Charlottetown with a two-game winning streak.

After last Saturday’s loss, players like Morgan White, Jenna O’Neill, and Ella Hickey hope to step things up and help get the team back on track. White leads the conference with 1.20 service aces per set and Hickey leads the conference with 7.97 assists per set.

Connect with the women’s volleyball ‘Canes at www.x.com/caneswvball and www.instagram.com/caneswvball.

Men’s Volleyball

The men’s volleyball team will have all the energy and confidence in the world moving forward after two big wins last weekend, including a three-set sweep on the road and a stunning come-from-behind win in the team’s last home game of the season.

The squad, carrying a 9-5 record, will conclude the regular season this weekend with a pair of away games in New Brunswick. On Saturday, Feb. 17 at 4pm, Holland will play yet another rematch against the St. Thomas University (STU) Tommies in Fredericton, which will be a crucial game since it could determine who finishes second in the conference. On Sunday, Feb. 18 at 2pm, the ‘Canes will make a stop in Saint John on the way home and play the fourth-ranked University of New Brunswick Saint John (UNBSJ) Seawolves. UNBSJ is 6-9 and is 0-3 against Holland so far this season.

This week’s Athlete of the Week, Carson Gray, is coming off two big performances where he recorded 23 kills, nine digs, two blocks, and two assists. Izumo Ueda helped the ‘Canes clinch against STU last Sunday with a big hit to give his team the come-from-behind win. Tyler McBride will look to keep his elite assist skills going while currently second in the conference with 8.19 assists per set. Marcus Lapointe enters his final regular season weekend of his collegiate career second in the conference with 121 digs and 2.33 digs per set, 15 of which were recorded last Sunday.

Connect with the men’s volleyball ‘Canes at www.x.com/canesmvball and www.instagram.com/canesmvball.

Women’s Basketball

The women’s basketball team is coming off one of the greatest come-from-behind wins in Hurricanes history last Saturday, which could be huge considering the team has a chance at claiming the second-place seed in the conference.

The squad, carrying a 9-7 record, begins its fight for that possibility this weekend with a game at the McMillan Centre against the third-ranked University of King’s College (UKC) Blue Devils on Saturday at 2pm. UKC is 10-4 and has been struggling in the second half with only three wins in the last six games but are coming off a close 84-80 win against the UNBSJ Seawolves. The Blue Devils are 1-1 against Holland so far this season.

This week’s Athlete of the Week, Lauren Armstrong, will be relied on to keep up with the clutch performances after she scored multiple free throws and blocked a late throw last Saturday to help secure the win. She leads the conference with 10.3 rebounds per game. Amy Plaggenhoef and Alexa Rancourt are other key players who are high in conference stats. Plaggenhoef is second with 15.9 points per game and Rancourt is third with 15.5 points per game, second with 10.1 rebounds per game, and third with a 56.2 field goal percentage.

Connect with the women’s basketball ‘Canes at www.x.com/caneswbball and www.instagram.cm/hurricanesbball.

Men’s Basketball

The men’s basketball team will have its hands full this weekend as it’s one of four teams, all within two points, fighting for the third-place seed in the conference with two weekends remaining in the regular season.

The squad, carrying an 8-8 record and coming off an 87-76 loss to the second-ranked MSVU Mystics, will be, on paper, the favourites this Saturday, as the winless UKC Blue Devils come to the McMillan Centre for Holland’s final home game of the season; tip-off is scheduled for 4pm. Holland is 2-0 against UKC so far this season and will look to sweep the season series.

Veterans, Bryce Corless and Diangelo Woodside, are coming off less-than-desirable performances, but still have plenty of statistical momentum heading into this Saturday. Corless leads the conference with 371 points (60 more than the second-best) and is fifth with 6.9 rebounds per game. Woodside is third in the conference with 10.3 rebounds per game. Rookie sensations, Zachary Dawkins and Topaz Kana, hope to continue adding substantial points to a roster that has rebounded well in the second half of the season after a rough first half.

Connect with the men’s basketball ‘Canes at www.x.com/canesmbball and www.instagram.com/hurricanesbball.

The basketball Hurricanes, men’s and women’s, will host the 2024 Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) Basketball Championships on March 1-3 at the McMillan Centre in Charlottetown.  For more information on the event, visit www.acaa.ca.

For more information on the Holland Hurricanes, visit www.hollandhurricanes.com, www.facebook.com/hollandhurricanes, www.x.com/hc_hurricanes, and www.instagram.com/hollandhurricanes.

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