By Reegan MacAulay

This upcoming weekend, Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) volleyball and basketball, and Atlantic Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) women’s hockey action continues for the Holland Hurricanes.

Here is everything you need to know for this Saturday and Sunday.

Women’s Volleyball

The women’s volleyball team seeks better luck on the road after being upset by the University of New Brunswick Saint John (UNBSJ) Seawolves last Saturday, Jan. 20 in four-sets in an entertaining match.

The squad, carrying a 6-6 record, will be in for a long ride this upcoming weekend with visits to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, beginning with a match against the Dalhousie Agricultural Campus (Dal AC) Rams in Truro, N.S. on Saturday, Jan. 27, and concluding with a match against the Crandall University Chargers in Moncton, N.B. on Sunday, Jan. 28.

Dal AC is 4-7 and sits sixth place in the conference, tied with UNBSJ. The Rams have yet to beat Holland after losing 3-1 and 3-0 in November. Crandall is 3-8 and sits in eighth place in the conference, two points behind Dal AC. The Chargers also have yet to beat the ‘Canes after losing 3-0 in November.

Players to keep an eye on include Mason Babey and Myah Utrosa, who combined for 20 kills in the Jan. 20 loss to UNBSJ. Utrosa is fifth in the conference with 0.67 blocks per set. Morgan White leads the conference with 1.41 service aces per set and Ella Hickey leads the conference with 7.86 assists per set.

Saturday’s game time is at 2 p.m. versus Dal AC, and Sunday’s game time is at 1 p.m. against the Chargers.

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 heads into the weekend with a two-game winning streak, including a win against the league-leading Université de Saint-Anne (USTA) Dragons.

The squad, carrying a 6-4 record, will visit Moncton, N.B. on Sunday, Jan. 28 to battle the Crandall University Chargers, who are 1-8 and have lost to Holland twice so far, losing 3-1 in November and 3-0 in December.

Carson Gray will be confident heading into Moncton after recording 15 kills and seven digs in last Saturday’s win against UNBSJ. This week’s Male Athlete of the Week, Tyler McBride, will also have momentum after recording 41 assists, three digs, two service aces, and a kill last Saturday. He’s also third in the conference with 2.89 kills per set, fourth with 110 kills, and fifth with a .260 hitting percentage. Marcus Lapointe leads the conference with 2.50 digs per set and second with 95 digs.

Game time for Sunday is at 3 p.m.

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 also enters the weekend with a two-game win streak, featuring wins against Crandall and the University of King’s College (UKC) Blue Devils.

The squad, carrying a 6-6 record, is set to play the UNBSJ Seawolves at the McMillan Centre in Charlottetown on Saturday, Jan. 27 and then travel to Sackville, N.B. to play the Mount Allison Mounties on Sunday, Jan. 28.

UNBSJ is 3-9, previously playing Holland twice and losing both times, 81-68 in November and 86-49 in December. Mount Allison is 8-3 and has beaten Holland twice so far with a 74-64 win in November and a 74-58 win earlier this month.

Lauren Armstrong, Amy Plaggenhoef, and Alexa Rancourt continue to be a dynamic trio after recording a combined 49 points last Sunday against UKC. Armstrong is second in the conference with 9.8 rebounds per game, Plaggenhoef leads the conference with 17.0 points per game, and Rancourt leads the conference with 10.4 rebounds per game and a 55.2 field goal percentage.

Also, pay close attention to Danielle McKinnon, Robyn Driscoll, and Sarah Nyhouse; McKinnon and Driscoll combined for 26 points in last Sunday’s win against UKC, and Nyhouse’s 14-point, five rebound, one assist, and one steal performance earned her Female Athlete of the Week honours this week at Holland College.

Saturday and Sunday’s game times are both at 2 p.m.

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 looks like the hottest group in the Holland Hurricanes department as it carries a three-game win streak heading into the upcoming weekend.

The squad, carrying a 6-6 record, will join the women’s basketball team with a home-and-away doubleheader this weekend, welcoming the UNBSJ Seawolves to the McMillan Centre on Saturday, Jan. 27 and visiting the Mount Allison Mounties in Sackville, N.B. on Sunday, Jan. 28.

UNBSJ is 4-8 and is 1-1 with Holland so far this season, losing 96-83 in November and winning 85-62 in December. Mount Allison is 4-7 and has yet to beat Holland after losing 75-64 in November and 87-78 earlier this month.

Bryce Corless continues to be the most dominant player on the team with 250 points, the most in the ACAA. He is also second in the conference with 20.8 points per game. Look out for other names such as Aaron Simmons, Zachary Dawkins, and Diangelo Woodside. Simmons led the team in last Sunday’s win against UKC, Dawkins added 11 points and has 34 points in his first three games as a Hurricane, and Woodside is fourth in the conference with 8.2 rebounds per game and fifth with a 50.8 field goal percentage.

Saturday and Sunday’s game times are at 4 p.m.

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

Women’s Hockey

The women’s hockey team is back in action this weekend after a long holiday break as far back as early December.

The team, carrying a 2-1-1 record, will head to Wolfville, N.S. on Saturday, Jan. 27 and Sunday, Jan. 28 for a rematch against a rival in the Acadia University Axewomen, who tied the ‘Canes 0-0 and beat them 4-0 in Holland’s home-opening doubleheader in mid-November.

Acadia, who finished runner-up in the 2023 ACHA Championship gold medal game against Holland, remains undefeated this season with a record of 5-0-1, also beating the Cape Breton University (CBU) Capers twice in November.

Former UPEI Panther Taylor Gillis leads the Hurricanes with three goals and five points. Other goal scorers this season so far include Gabby MacDonald, Elizabeth Lirette, Kristyn Taylor, and Abbey Gordon. Watch out for potential offensive explosions from sophomore forward Livi Lawlor and rookie forward Kailey Lutley, who’s dynamic offensive skills we’ve yet to see this season on the scoresheet. Veteran goaltender Emma Arsenault carries one win, one loss, one tie, and a 1.33 goals-against average heading into the weekend. Rookie goaltender Bella Scott carries one win and a 2.00 goals-against average.

Saturday’s game is at 5:25 p.m. and Sunday’s game is at 2 p.m.

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

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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