The GW women’s volleyball team (7-3, 2-0 A-10) faces an early test this weekend as defending Atlantic 10 champion Temple comes to the Smith Center Friday night at 6:30 p.m.

GW battles Temple in the midst of a five-game winning streak, including an undefeated record in conference play. After two dominating road victories against Duquesne and Fordham last weekend, the Colonial women expect to continue their high level of performance.

“We have to work on a few details,” said junior setter Jill Levey. “We have to play the same way we played last weekend.”

GW and Temple split last year’s matches, both teams winning on their home courts. The key to the Colonial women’s four-game victory at the Smith Center last season was the strong offensive attack of senior Gabriela Mojska, who pounded 23 kills in the match. Defensively, junior Suzana Manole led the way with a match-high 19 digs. GW committed 10 fewer errors than Temple at the Smith Center, a remarkable improvement from last season’s earlier loss at McGonigle Hall.

In the first meeting in early October 1998, GW committed 13 more errors and were overwhelmed by the Temple attack. Temple swept GW in the match, which lasted just an hour.

“We know this is a very good team,” Manole said. “We’re pumped up, but we have to execute what we’ve been practicing.”

First-year head coach Yvette Moorehead has a tough task ahead of her this weekend as she leads the team in her first home conference matches. After the contest with Temple, GW faces off with La Salle Saturday night at 5:30 p.m. GW swept the two matches last year against the Explorers. Moorehead, who was assistant coach last season under Susie Homan, said her team has to be prepared this weekend.

“We have to establish our game right away,” Moorehead said. “Every conference win or loss has an impact on us.”

The recent play of junior Tracee Brown has added depth to the Colonial women’s offensive attack. Last weekend, Brown had a .667 attack percentage with 23 kills and three errors in 30 attempts over the two-game span. That performance earned her honors as Atlantic 10 Player of the Week, her first such award.

For GW to be successful against Temple, they must stop junior outside hitter Alma Kovaci, who tallied 34 kills against GW last year. The Colonial women had 20 blocks at the Smith Center last November, a high total they need in order to stop the Lady Owls’ offense.

“We need to play disciplined, playing our tempo and staying focused,” Moorehead said. “We need to come out and be competitive from the start.”

As co-captains of the team, Levey and Manole know victories over Temple and La Salle would give GW an impressive 4-0 start to the A-10 season.

“I think we can be very successful,” Levey said.

Last year, GW started the season 3-1 in conference play and finished at 12-8 in the A-10, three matches behind Temple. A perfect weekend would run GW out of the gates in pursuit of its first A-10 Tournament appearance since 1995.

“It’s still early,” Moorehead said. “Of course we want to win, but if we lose, it’s not the end of the world.”