Mustangs go the distance in 3-2 win against Guelph

London, ON – For the second time this weekend the Mustangs welcomed the Guelph Gryphons to Alumni Hall for a Sunday afternoon game, which Western took 3-2 in thrilling fashion.

As the final ball dropped on the Gryphons side, cheers erupted from the Mustangs and their supporters as they managed to pull out the win in a game where it looked like it was slipping away. While Western took the first two sets with little pushback, Guelph came out firing in the third and fourth to push Western to a final deciding set.

The first set proved to be a close one to start, with the team’s exchanging points and serving errors, before Western took control. Captain Amit Sayal led with four kills, with Jason Guy and Blake Fenwick following with two.

The Mustangs would take the first set with ease, 25-18.

The Gryphons came out strong to start the second, getting out to an early 3-0 lead. The purple and white would get a jolt of energy thanks to a Sayal kill that got them on the board, while a Jonah Millard ace would give them their first lead at 6-5.

While the visitors were able to tie it up and keep it close, Jackson Bere would finish off set point for a 25-22 win.

“We felt really comfortable in the first two sets,” said coach Jim Sage. “I thought we played really well in the first two and were ticking off all of the little boxes.”

The Mustangs faced a Guelph team desperate to push back in the third. Despite getting off to an early 6-3 lead, the Gryphons would take control and start to build momentum, which they carried to a 25-22 set win.

Desperate to hang on, the Gryphons neutralized some Millard kills with a few of their own, before taking control of the fourth.

As the visitors from Guelph continued to ride their momentum to a 20-14 lead, Western would try to climb back into it, but were ultimately unsuccessful as they dropped the fourth 25-21.

“I think we just got a little too happy with ourselves. We lost the edge,” said Sage. “Then they got the momentum, and we were rattled, bouncing the ball all over the place. It looked ugly.”

As the fifth set was set to start, the Western coaches made an unorthodox move. Josh Thorson subbed in on the right side, an unfamiliar position to his usual left, which proved to be a difference maker.

“He’s in that circumstance in a fifth set, under all that pressure, and he’s loving it,” said Sage.

As Guelph tried to get off to another early lead in the deciding set, Western battled back to make it difficult on them, and eventually tied it at 8, and then again at 12.

Thorson gave the lead to the Mustangs at 13-12, subsequently electrifying the bench and giving the purple and white the fuel to finish it off.

As Thorson stepped up to serve for the match at 14-12, as the fifth set only goes to 15 points, desperation from the Gryphons wouldn’t be enough. The Mustangs claimed the deciding frame 15-12, therefore stifling a Guelph comeback attempt and sweeping the weekend series.

And as Thorson deflects his praise towards the rest of his team, he reflects on the characteristics the group possesses that makes them a strong side. Talent isn’t the only ingredient in establishing a good, winning team, and Western has something that sets them apart from the rest of their competitors.

“This team is something special. It’s a group of guys that are so incredibly close. I don’t think there is any team that is as close knit and tight as ours and that has the trust we do,” said Thorson. “It’s a difference maker, and so much fun. The trust improves the game, as everyone knows we all have each other’s backs. It’s really special.”

And of course, the bond and chemistry translates to on-court performance, as well as a lot of fun.

“I just love my team so much and just being out there with those guys every moment, soaking it in and enjoying it feels fantastic,” said Thorson. “When I go out there and see those five guys on the court that are with me, [the nerves] all wash away. I have trust in them and I know that they fully trust me.”

“That’s a guy who gets no glory but works harder, if not harder than anyone else in practice,” concluded Sage on Thorson.

With the win, the Mustangs improve to 4-4 on the season and sit in third in the OUA West. Guelph drops to 2-7.

While the purple and white have four days off of game play, they are already preparing for their next battle.

“We are already getting ready right now, thinking about our match-ups and what the other team is going to bring and how we are going to beat them,” said Thorson. “Just taking things one step at a time and being focused throughout the entire week.”

The Mustangs are back in action Friday, February 25^th, as they prepare to welcome the Windsor Lancers to Alumni Hall. The game is set to start at 8pm, with tickets being available to purchase https://westernmustangstickets.universitytickets.com/w/event.aspx?id=1552&p=1