Thursday, Feb. 14: No. 13 Cascades (12-10, 4th in PACWEST) at CBC Bearcats (1-21, 7th in PACWEST), 6 p.m., Columbia Place
Friday, Feb. 15: Cascades vs. Bearcats, 6 p.m., Envision Financial Athletic Centre
Webcast: pacwestbc.tv

There's nothing on the line but bragging rights this weekend as the Cascades women's volleyballers clash with the CBC Bearcats.

Both teams' playoff destinies are sealed. The Cascades are locked into the No. 4 seed, and their PACWEST quarter-final match-up is already set – they'll face the fifth-place Capilano Blues to open the conference championship tournament next week in Cranbrook, B.C. The seventh-place Bearcats, meanwhile, have been eliminated from post-season contention.

And yet…

"It's a crosstown rivalry," UFV head coach Mike Gilray noted. "We get to play them four times a year, and it's never an easy match. We battle with them every time, and there's that extra little incentive for beating your crosstown rival. 

"For CBC, they'll want to finish their year on a high note. They're a lot like Camosun last year – they're a very young team, and they could become a very tough team next year. They're feisty, and they battle. They've been close all year to knocking teams off, and no doubt they'll be trying to do that in these two games."

Gilray noted that while winning this weekend's games is a priority, he'll also be using them as an opportunity to test-drive strategies the Cascades might employ in the post-season. 

"We're definitely not looking past CBC, but we'll be using this weekend to try out game-plans for teams that we'll face in the playoffs," he said. "First up is Cap, and we'll be preparing ourselves to be successful in that game."

Players to watch: The Cascades will celebrate the career of fifth-year team captain Kim Bauder in Friday's Senior Night ceremony. Bauder began her university volleyball career in St. John's, Nfld., playing two years for the Memorial University SeaHawks. The Langley, B.C. product transferred closer to home in 2016, and has given the Cascades three standout seasons. She was a PACWEST second team all-star last year, and she's fashioned another all-star calibre campaign in 2018-19, ranking among the league leaders in kills, aces, digs, and total offensive points. "When I first got this job, one of the things I wanted to look at was bringing B.C. athletes back home," Gilray said. "The first player on my list was Kim. I had known Kim as a club volleyball player, and knew the type of energy and fire she brought to a team. She's someone I've been super-excited to have as part of our program for the past three years. The impact she's had on our program speaks volumes to her character. Her work ethic is incredible, and she leads by example. I'm very excited to keep her connected to our program as an alum as well." For the Bearcats, rookie Megan Polant has been outstanding of late, racking up double-digit kills in four of her last eight outings highlighted by a season-high 21 kills on Jan. 17 vs. College of the Rockies. She ranks 12th in PACWEST for kills (2.17/set).