Mustangs open 2023 with series sweep against Lakehead

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Thunder Bay, ON – The Mustangs hit the road to mark their return to the season, taking home two straight sets victories against Lakehead on Friday and Saturday.
 
Western went into the holiday break boasting an 8-1 record and on a six-game win streak, putting them in second place behind Brock.
 
In Friday’s matchup, the Mustangs took the first two sets over the Thunderwolves 25-15, before closing this one out 25-21 in the third. Devin Gerth registered 15 kills on the night, while Janelle Albert had 13 kills and 3 aces.
 
In similar fashion on Saturday, the ‘Stangs won the first set 25-20, the second set 25-17, and the third set 25-14. Janelle Albert racked up another 17 kills while Rachel Gray had 11 and 4 aces.
 
Western got off to a hot start in their first of the two games, taking the first four points as Lakehead continued their search for their first home win of the season.
 
The hosts managed to tighten things up at 7-6 courtesy of some Mustang errors and kills of their own. The purple and white regained a safer lead at 18-12 off of an ace from Ava Ebert.
 
The ‘Stangs comfortably took the first set 25-15.
 
Ebert tied things up early in the second at 2-2 for Western, before the purple and white took their first lead of the set at 4-3 off of a point from Devin Gerth, who followed it up again to help double up 6-3 on the hosts. Western took the next four points for an 10-3 lead before Lakehead won their next point.
 
Janelle Albert extended the lead to eight at 18-10 with an ace, as Lakehead couldn’t find their way back into this set. An Albert kill finished off the set 25-15 for Western.
 
The third set was a lot closer, as the hosts didn’t want to let Western take this game easily.
 
The purple and white took an early 4-2 lead in the third set as they looked to close out their 2023 opener in three sets. The ‘Stangs doubled up on the Thunderwolves at 14-7, however they would cut the lead down to four with resilient play at 18-14.
 
The hosts would continue their strong play, winning four of the next five points forcing a Western timeout at 19-18. An Albert kill alongside Lakehead error extended their lead to three.
 
A smart play by Albert to hit the ball off the blocker to go out of bounds put the set within reach at 23-19, which she followed with another point to give the purple and white set-point at 24-20.
 
The Mustangs took the third set 25-21, and the game along with it to open up the 2023 portion of the season.
 
The team’s returned to the court the next night and exchanged points to start Saturday’s affair, as they sat tied at five-a-piece early on.
 
Some missed serves from the purple and white helped to propel the hosts to a 10-7 lead, before Janelle Albert got them back within two as the team looked to regroup.
 
Tied at 18, Albert reclaimed the lead for Western with a powerful kill. Rallying behind a Jaeya Brach serve, the ‘Stangs took the next four points for their first significant lead of the set at 23-18. Albert gave the purple and white set-point, which Claire Stewart finished off for a 25-20 first set victory.
 
Western went up 5-2 to start the second set, before they doubled up on the Thunderwolves at 12-6 as the hosts called a timeout. Rallying behind a strong Rachel Gray serve, the Mustangs took the next four points before the hosts found themselves back on the board.
 
The purple and white took the set comfortably at 25-17.
 
The ‘Stangs continued to show off their strong hitting into the third set, but the hosts fought back to try and push a fourth set.
 
Tied at 12, the Mustangs retook the lead courtesy of a big kill from Gray, however the hosts tied it up right after. Two Albert kills gave Western a four-point cushion at 18-14, as they looked to close this one out in three.
 
A block from Ava Ebert continued the point streak for Western, as they ended up winning the next six points behind a strong Devin Gerth serve to set up set point at 24-14. An error from the Thunderwolves handed the set to the ‘Stangs at 25-14, thereby closing out their weekend series with a six-set sweep over Lakehead.
 
Western now improves to 10-1 on the season with the win, while Lakehead drops to 2-10.
 
The Mustangs are back in action on January 20^th at Alumni Hall as they play host to Brock. First-serve is set for 6pm with tickets being available to purchase at westernmustangs.ca