Box Score Guelph, ON – The Mustangs travelled to Guelph Friday night to mark their first game of the 2023 calendar year where they ultimately fell 3-1 to the Gryphons.
Both Western and Guelph finished the first half of the season with 6-3 records, as the Mustangs looked to extend their four-game win streak with a victory on Friday to mark their return on the season.
The Mustangs won the first set 25-21, before dropping the next three 25-23, 25-21 and 25-19 respectively. Jason Guy led the way with 12 kills and 1 ace, while Blake Fenwick had 11 kills and 2 aces.
The Mustangs got out to an early 5-1 lead in the opening set, before the hosts tightened the gap at 8-6.
A big kill from Nicolas Folz gave the ‘Stangs a 12-8 lead, which they managed to extend as a kill from Blake Fenwick and two Gryphon errors saw the hosts take a timeout at 19-13.
Guelph won the next three points, before a kill from Jonah Millard got the purple and white back on the board.
Despite pushback from Guelph, the Mustangs took the first set 25-21 courtesy of Fenwick.
The second set proved to be a close one.
It was the Gryphons who got off to a quick start in the set, going up 4-0 on the purple and white early on to the delight of the home crowd.
A big block from Millard put the ‘Stangs within one at 6-5, whereas Jason Guy tied it up moments later with a block of his own. Western took their first lead of the set thanks to Fenwick right after.
The two team’s continued to go back and forth, keeping things close as neither side could build a significant lead and run away with the set.
Tied at 16 and with Fenwick serving, Western took the next two points before a service error put the hosts back within one yet again.
As the two sides sat tied yet again at 22, Guelph took the lead off the block, leading the Mustangs to call a timeout. Despite their efforts, the Gryphons took the set 25-23.
Continuing where they left off, the hosts took a 4-0 lead to start the third set. Folz got Western on the board thereafter, but Guelph continued to fire and extended their lead to five at 7-2 and eventually doubled up on the Mustangs at 10-5.
The ‘Stangs showed their resiliency however, fighting back to cut the deficit at 13-10, before the hosts retook the lead by five-point margin moments later by winning the next two points.
Western responded with three consecutive points of their own as they looked to climb back in this one. The Mustangs managed to do just that, cutting the deficit to two at 22-20. However, the Gryphons would take this one 25-21.
The two sides exchanged points to start the fourth, as things sat locked at three early on. Some errors from the purple and white helped give the hosts the lead at 8-4, before they doubled up on the ‘Stangs at 10-5.
Rallying behind a Fenwick serve, the purple and white managed to string together some points to cut their deficit to three at 11-8, with Millard finishing things off.
Western couldn’t find their way back into the set, as they fell 3-1 to Guelph with a 25-19 fourth set loss.
The ‘Stangs fall to 6-4 on the season with the loss while Guelph improves to 7-3.
The Mustangs return to action Friday, January 13th at 7pm as they travel to Guelph to take on the Gryphons yet again. The action is available to watch on OUA.tv
This article is shared as part of our Fair Dealing Policy. For the original article, please visit: https://westernmustangs.ca/news/2023/1/7/mens-volleyball-mustangs-fall-3-1-to-guelph-in-first-game-of-2023.aspx