Durham Lords (8-2)
No less than four teams are battling for the east regional title in men's volleyball.
Reigning east champion Durham is part of a four-way tie for first place at the mid-season break. After going undefeated in regular season play last season, Durham's 26-match win streak in the regular season was snapped in back-to-back three-set losses at Trent and Seneca.
Durham now has a modest two-match win streak, including a key five-set victory over Georgian.
Fourth-year left side Matt McGirr (Brampton) leads the Lords in points per set averaging 3.5. First-year left side Andrew Watson (Uxbridge) is the Durham leader in total points with 106.
Durham concludes the regular season in February with back-to-back matches with Seneca and Georgian which will more likely than not have a huge impact on the final standings.
Georgian Grizzlies (8-2)
Had Georgian pulled out the fifth-set against Durham, the Grizzlies would be standing all alone in first place.
Georgian, however, is relishing the fact that it has already matched its win total from 2014-15, with a return to the OCAA post-season in clear sight.
Grizzlies fourth-year player Jason Grimm (Orangeville) is among the top scoring leaders in the OCAA averaging 4.0 points per set. First-year teammate Liam Gray (Barrie) leads all of OCAA with 32 service aces.
Georgian has a key match at Seneca on Jan. 13. The Grizzlies suffered their only home defeat at the hands of the Sting in four sets back in November.
Seneca Sting (8-2)
No matter how things shake out in the east region, the Sting are headed to provincials as tournament host.
Seneca had an eight-match win streak sandwiched between home losses to Peterborough-based clubs.
Sidney Wilding (Oshawa) is the offensive leader on the Sting in his first season of OCAA play. Wilding is averaging 3.4 points per set, with a team-high 109 kills.
Seneca looks to avenge its first-half losses when it makes the trek to the Electric City to take on Fleming and Trent Feb. 5-6.
Trent Excalibur (8-2)
Trent is hoping to capture its first-ever OCAA medal before departing to Ontario University Athletics next season. The Excalibur have put themselves in great position to grab a post-season berth.
Trent is led offensively by fifth-year middle Christian Zimmer (Ingleside) and his 3.3 points and 2.12 kills per set averages.
The Excalibur enters the new year with the longest winning streak in the east at four matches. Trent earned a key five-set win at Seneca in its lone December match.
Trent lost to crosstown rival Fleming in four sets on Nov. 14. The rematch takes place Feb. 17 at Fleming in what is shaping into a match between playoff-bound squads.
Fleming Knights (7-3)
Fleming is one game off the pace in the east region, but comfortably in the driver's seat when it comes to controlling its own destiny.
The Knights are no doubt lamenting a five-set loss to George Brown which would have put Fleming in a five-way tie for first had it gone the other way. George Brown won the entertaining fifth set 18-16.
Fleming third-year left side Jacob White (Brockville) leads all OCAA players averaging 5.1 points and 4.31 kills per set.
The Knights have a challenging month ahead in February, with three of four matches against teams currently ahead of Fleming in the standings.
Coyotes de La Cité (4-6)
There is a three-way tie for the sixth and final playoff position in the east.
La Cité is part of this mix. Having started the season 2-0, the Coyotes have won just twice in the past eight matches.
Second-year player Alexandre Henrie (Orleans) leads the Coyotes averaging 3.8 points per set.
La Cité had an important three-set win over George Brown in October, and a key five-set loss to Loyalist last month.
George Brown Huskies (4-6)
George Brown had a terrific stretch in early November when it won three out of four matches, including an upset win over Fleming.
The Huskies came close to another upset win, losing in five sets to Seneca to end the first half on a three-match losing streak.
Third-year right side D'Artaniel Jackman (Toronto) leads the Huskies averaging 3.32 kills and 3.7 points per set.
There will be no room for error for the Huskies in the new year, with George Brown losing first half matches to both La Cité and Loyalist in straight sets.
Loyalist Lancers (4-6)
Loyalist is the third team deadlocked for the east's final playoff spot, but have the advantage with wins over La Cité and George Brown.
Lancers third-year outside hitter Ben Hoftyzer (Trenton) leads all of OCAA with 148 kills in 40 sets.
Loyalist has won four of its last seven matches, losing in straight sets only once.
The Lancers face George Brown and La Cité during a 12-day stretch to end the month of January.
Canadore Panthers (2-8)
Canadore was 1-1 in October, but proceeded to drop seven of eight matches to dig itself a rather large hole to climb out of in the new year.
Canadore fourth-year player Shawn Hofmann (Aurora) is one of six OCAA players averaging 4.0 points per set.
The Panthers open the new year against Algonquin, a team it swept in straight sets on Nov. 21.
Algonquin Thunder (1-9)
Algonquin is having a down season, losing six straight before its first win of 2015-16.
First-year players Gareth Luke (Ottawa) and Jonah Nieman (London) are both averaging 2.3 points per set to lead all Thunder players.
Algonquin's lone win came against Centennial in four sets on Nov. 20.
Centennial Colts (1-9)
Centennial has returned to OCAA men's volleyball for the first time since the 20th century.
Although expected to struggle in its return season, Centennial will have at least one positive result to look back on, a straight sets win over Canadore on Nov. 29.
First-year outside hitter Marvin Reed (Maple) leads the Colts averaging 2.6 points per set.
Source: OCAA Communications