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Capers volleyballers host N.B. teams on weekend

By Greg MacVicar
Cape Breton Post
SYDNEY — This weekend will be déjà vu all over again for the Cape Breton University Capers women's volleyball players as they host the same two New Brunswick squads they played on the road last weekend.

"It's a little bit bizarre because you don't see them all year and then all of a sudden it's back-to-back," said Capers head coach Claude Lapré. "In terms of a learning tool, it's interesting. It's a good opportunity to make progress on certain issues."

The CBU women (5-6) are in a three-way tie for first place in Atlantic University Sport standings with the St. Mary's Huskies (5-5) and the Acadia Axewomen (5-7).

Last Sunday, the Capers defeated the last-place Université de Moncton Aigles Bleues (1-11), 3-0, by set scores of 25-23, 26-24 and 25-21, after losing the day before 3-1 to the fifth-place University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds (4-6) by set scores of 25-16, 26-28, 25-22 and 25-20.

This weekend at CBU's Sullivan Field House, the CBU women host UNB on Saturday at 7 p.m. and Université de Moncton on Sunday at 2 p.m.

"We've got to be better against UNB, that's for sure," said Lapré with a chuckle, when asked what the Capers learned last weekend that they can apply this weekend.

"UNB is the biggest team in the league. Their whole game is about serving very aggressively and blocking and really trying to shorten the rallies. We just hope against UNB we have a better first contact, both in service and in defence."

The Université de Moncton is a much different opponent.

"Moncton relies on a very good defence, very good ball control," said Lapré. "They just try to prolong the rallies as much as they can and win the rallies out of defence basically. Their offence is really just a lot of placement, a lot of good angles. But they're not as physical as UNB."

Of the eight AUS teams, CBU, St. Mary's and Acadia all have 10 points, while the Dalhousie Tigers, UNB and the St. F.X. X-Women all have eight points, and Moncton and the Memorial Sea-Hawks are in the basement with two points apiece.

"So this weekend is very important," said Lapré, adding that the league championship is less than a month away. "When you look at the standings, if you have a good weekend, you may stay on top. If you have a bad weekend, you may tied for sixth instead of tied for first."

Though it doesn't look as if Moncton and Memorial will be in the playoffs.

"We pretty well know that these six teams that are so close will be in the playoffs," said Lapré, adding that the parity among the top-six squads makes games interesting and keeps alive the possibility of a bye to the championship semifinals as the Capers prepare for their two weekend matches. "Both games will be very interesting."

gmacvicar@cbpost.com