The Dons return home this week looking to play spoiler to two teams trying to climb the WCC standings. First up is a match with Gonzaga (12-7, 5-4 WCC) which currently sits fourth in the conference, two games behind Pacific. 

Gonzaga is led by two different dynamic duos. There is a pair of outside hitters in Emmy Allen and McKayla Ferris who rank fifth and sixth in the WCC in kills respectively. Allen at 3.51 kills per set ranks 108th in the nation and Ferris at 3.51 finds her self at 119th.

Then there is the pair of middle blockers patrolling the heart of the defense for the Bulldogs. Katelyn Oppio (1.03 blocks per set) and Paige Folger (1.00 blocks per set) sit at seventh and eighth in the WCC rankings respectively. BYU (the 16th ranked team in the country) is the only other team with two blocks leaders in the top-10 of the WCC as well. 

"We're looking for (Gonzaga) to stay within what they normally do," USF head coach Vicki Brown said. "They are a good defensive team with a lot of blocking."

On Saturday, the Dons will have to face the WCC giant slayers in the Portland Pilots (11-10, 4-5 WCC). Portland has the biggest win of the conference season when they beat 16th-ranked BYU in a five set thriller at home. BYU has only lost two games in conference, one to Portland and one to undefeated San Diego which is the nation's fifth ranked team. 

Portland goes on the attack with two of the more dynamic players in the WCC. Hannah Troutman leads the front line with 3.78 kills per set which is good for fourth in the WCC and 75th in the nation. The Pilots follow that up with Cali Thompson who ranks in the top-100 nationally in total assists and service aces and ranks second in the WCC in both assists at 9.72 per set and aces at .35 per set. 

Brown knows despite a sub-.500 conference record, the Pilots are an incredibly difficult opponent. "They've beaten some top teams in the conference," she said. "We're expecting them to carry that, 'we are Portland' mentality."

This week's home games mark a brief pit stop for the Dons as they had two road games last week, and after Saturday will have the next three matches all take place away from War Memorial at the Sobrato Center. The Dons (4-19, 0-10 WCC) will look to relish the chance to play at home. "We're looking forward to getting students and the community to come out and support us," Brown said.

Both of this week's home games as well as all future games can be seen on TheW.tv.