Coming into the 2025-26 season, the Mount Royal Cougars women’s volleyball team had high expectations with its sights set on a national championship.
These expectations were built on the team’s success from the 2024-25 season, when they advanced to the quarter-finals of Canada West.
Fast forward to the holiday break, and the team has struggled through the first half of the season, sitting at 2-8.
Much of their struggles can be attributed to the injuries that have plagued the roster.
Veterans Bronwynn Davies-Neira and Mya Morgan have missed extended time this season, while young talents Awien Ngor and Faith Obasi have each been sidelined for multiple games.
Despite those setbacks, the team has still managed to find production throughout the lineup.
Fourth-year outside hitter Sydney Scatcherd has been sensational.
Scatcherd currently ranks among the top 20 for solo blocks and assisted blocks in the conference, while also delivering numerous standout performances this season.
The fourth-year veteran recorded 28 total kills across two games against Brandon University on Friday, October 31st and Saturday, November 1st.
Outside hitter Davies-Neira has also been electric despite missing time to injury.
Davies-Neira posted a combined 19 kills in two games against the University of Regina on Friday, November 28th and Saturday, November 29th.
Both of these ladies have been excellent up to this point and will be heavily relied upon as the team pushes to get back on track in the new year.
One of the biggest storylines this season has been the emergence of third-year middle hitter Faith Obasi, who has developed into a legitimate two-way threat for the Cougars.
Obasi currently ranks 11th in the conference in blocks per set on both offence and defence.
Within MRU’s individual stats, Obasi has stepped up ranking third in kills and kills per set on offence, while also sitting third on digs, digs per set, solo blocks and assisted blocks on defence.
Obasi’s best performance came against MacEwan University, where she had 13 kills and 12 blocks in two games on Friday, November 14th, and Saturday, November 15th.
Despite the slow start, the Cougars remain confident they can turn their season around, especially with the team returning to full strength going into the new year.
With six of their next 10 games scheduled at home in the second half of the season, the focus will be on climbing back into the playoff race as soon as possible.
The Cougars play next on the road on January 9th against the University of Manitoba.
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