Toronto, ON – The Mustangs Women’s Volleyball team made their first road trip of the 2024-25 season and picked up two more wins to push their record to 4-0 on the year.
Western took on the York Lions Friday & Saturday night, winning both nights 3-1.
GAME RECAPS
Friday, November 8
Friday night’s game saw an opening set that remained tight throughout. The Mustangs were up earlier in the set, opening up as big as an eight-point lead at one point. York would battle back in the set, evening things at 24-24 in the late stages of the opening frame but would win the last three points of the set, finishing with an Emma Buntic service ace to take the opening set 27-25.
The second set would see the Mustangs jump out to the early lead again and hold the advantage through most of the set, taking a 25-16 win in the set and a 2-0 advantage in the match.
The third set looked to be the same as the previous pair with Western getting the early advantage but York made some adjustments in a mid-set timeout and won the next four points and really stepped up their intensity. The Lions would overtake the Mustangs and go on to win the third set 25-19 and force a fourth set.
After both side traded points early in the fourth set, Western would go on a 12-3 run mid way through the set and take a stranglehold of the match and finish the match with a 25-18 set win and a 3-1 match victory.
Rachel Gray led the Mustangs with 13 kills and 39 total attacks, while Emma Buntic had 12 kills of her own and three service aces in the win.
Saturday, November 9
Saturday’s match started similarly to Friday’s match in a tight opening set.
Western jumped out on a 5-0 run to start the match and put pressure on the Lions. York had to regroup and develop an attack to stay with the Mustangs as the middle section of the set largely saw each side trade a single point or two back and forth. Western got the better of the Lions until a five point run later in the set took Yokr from being down 22-16 to pulling within two points at 22-20. While both teams traded single points after that, Western would get the win in the opening set 25-23.
The second set saw an early five-point run for York put the Mustangs on their heels a bit, forcing Western to play catchup. While the Mustangs were eventually after to pull even at 20-20 late in the set, York would get the last five points to take the second set 25-20 and even the match at 1-1.
The Mustangs weren’t going to sit idly by and let that momentum affect them though as both sides had 3-0 runs in the first nine points with Western getting the 6-3 advantage. The Mustangs would control most of the rest of the set and finish it with a 25-11 win.
The fourth set saw the Mustangs come out with a 7-2 advantage but the Lions battled their way to be down by two points at 12-10. Western would then take the next five points and take a 17-10 lead. The Mustangs kept the momentum to close out the set at 25-17 and win the match 3-1.
Lael Harrison had 19 kills & five service aces on the night, Emma Buntic had 14 kills and 36 total attacks.
Western will be back at Alumni Hall next weekend when the Mustangs host McMaster for a pair of matches Friday and Saturday. The Friday night match starts at 6:00 pm. Fans can get their tickets at WesternMustangs.ca/tickets, Western students get FREE admission by presenting their valid Western ONECard at the box office.