The Western Mustangs Fall 3-1 to Brock Badgers in Quarter Finals

Box Score The Western Mustangs took on the Brock Badgers today in St. Catherine’s. While Brock won the first set, Western took the second. Brock went on to take the third and fourth despite fantastic effort from the Mustangs. 
 
Brock gets on the board first. Pushes that point lead to two. Western get on the board after a kill from Jonah Millard. Despite getting a small point lead in the early moments of the first set, a ball tipped over the net by Kendall Homenick is mishandled by the Badgers and they are unable to save it, sending it out of bounds. This equalises the points at 7-7. An attacking error from Brock puts Western ahead. Brock quickly equalizes. As Brock pushes ahead in the points, a long serve from them equalizes at 9-9 again. When the Badgers push four points ahead, a timeout is called. Brock finds their momentum in the second half of the first set as they come within four points of the set point with Western following seven behind. A block from Western closes that gap to six. After a serve from Luca Stojanovic, an attacking error from Brock adds another point to Western’s scoreboard. Despite the Badgers coming close to the set win, Western gain some momentum to close the gap to four. Despite working to close the point gap towards the end of the set, Brock takes the opening set 25-20. 
 
The Mustangs take the first point of the second set with a kill from Kendall Homenick as the ball finds the far-right corner. Blake Fenwick gets the first service ace of the game to put Western two points ahead early on. Brock gets on the board but Western push four points ahead, forcing Brock into an early timeout. A service ace from Cade Smith puts Western five points ahead coming out of the timeout. Western gain momentum in the middle of the set. When the scoreboard reads 13-5 to Western, a timeout is called. Western continue to push ahead in the points but a solo block from the Badgers closes the gap to nine. Cade Smith brings the team within six of the set win. Western continue to push ahead in the points, taking the second set with a score of 25-18. 
 
Taking the first point of the third set, Western look to push ahead in the sets. A ball sent out of bounds by Brock puts Western two points ahead early in the second set. A long serve from Western puts Brock on the board. The teams equalize at 5-5. Western push back ahead and a few points later, an attacking error from Brock puts Western three ahead. After another attacking error from Brock, putting Western four points ahead, a timeout is called by Brock. The Badgers take the first point coming out of the timeout. Brock work to close the point gap coming into the latter half of the set. A service ace from the Badgers equalizes the score at 17-17. Brock pushes ahead but a kill from Kendall Homenick wins the point for Western after good effort from Brock to keep the ball alive. Brock comes within five of the set win, but an attacking error from the Badgers equalizes at 20-20. Two points later, a tip over the net from Brock puts them two ahead of the Mustangs causing a timeout. Coming out of the timeout, Brock wins the first point. Western call a timeout after Brock gets two good points, putting them within one of the set win. Western get a point on the scoreboard but the Badgers get another kill to win them the third set 25-22. 
 
Brock takes the first point in the fourth set. A tip over the net by Kendall Homenick after the ball is set by Josiah Esau finds the middle of the court to put the Mustangs on the scoreboard. Cade Smith serves with the teams equalized at 4-4. Josiah Esau gets the Mustangs the point after he gets a kill, finding the middle of the court. A timeout is called by the Mustangs when the score sees Brock lead by three. Coming out of the timeout, Western close the point gap to two. Brock maintains the point lead coming out of the timeout. A short serve from Western puts Brock four points ahead. The Badgers push to four points and Western calls for a timeout, looking to find a way to halt the point progression of the Badgers. Brock comes within six of the set win after a ball goes out of bounds off a Western player. An attacking error from Brock puts Western five behind. Brock continue to push towards the end of the set despite good effort from the Mustangs to not let the Badgers gain too much momentum. The Brock Badgers take the match with a final score of 25-18. 
 
After a hard fought game and season, with the loss the Mustangs season comes to a close. We thank the graduating seniors for their contributions to the program and look forward to the 2024-25 season starting in the fall.