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Capers look to climb back to the top

The Cape Breton Post
By Greg MacVicar

Brown

SYDNEY — The head coach of the Cape Breton University Capers women's volleyball team said last week that one weekend's play can make a big difference.

Claude Laprè was right.

Prior to last weekend's action, the Capers were among three teams tied for first place in Atlantic University Sport standings. Then they posted two straight losses, 3-2 to the Universitè de Moncton Aigles Bleues and 3-1 to the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds, dropping CBU (5-8) to a two-way tie with UNB for third place.

"Losing matches sure gets your attention back," said Laprè, adding that his players have to keep that third-place spot in perspective. "We're two points out of second place. You just can't go too long without wins."

The Capers are looking to bounce back with their lone game of the weekend, Saturday at 2 p.m., when they host the Dalhousie Tigers at CBU's Sullivan Field House. Saturday's match-up will be the first meeting for the two teams this season.

"They're big for one thing and they're very talented," Laprè said of the Tigers, adding that the Dal team has brought in a lot of new players and a new coach over the last couple of years. "There's been a whole turnaround, almost, from two years ago."

Laprè said the Dalhousie team will have a slight advantage in that they'll be playing the StFX X-Women in Antigonish, tonight.

The Capers' Megan Brown, a 6-0 left side from North Sydney, said the CBU women have to improve their focus heading into Saturday's match.

"We're trying to maintain our focus for the entire game, which we kind of lost during the Moncton game," said Brown, a second-year bachelor of science student. "We have to focus on every point and just get the job done."

Brown, who is 11th in the league in kills with an average of 2.34 per game, said the Tigers are a relatively young squad, but can't be discounted.

"They have a lot of rookies but they definitely have a strong team," she said, adding she's played with Tigers setter Hilary Sears and is very familiar with Dal middle blocker Maggie Morrison, a fifth-year native of Sydney, among others. "We just have to take care of our side and good things will happen."

Brown, who's planning on a physiotherapy career, said it's a privilege playing in front of the hometown crowd.

"It's a lot of fun to be able to play in front of people that have supported me throughout my entire volleyball career," she said. "Even students that you've helped out in camps, it's a lot of fun seeing them there."

gmacvicar@cbpost.com