The Western Mustangs Win 3-1 After Facing The TMU Bold In Their First Game of the Year

The Western Mustangs come into the match against the TMU Bold with a five-game win streak looking to make that six. This is the first time the two teams are meeting this regular season and the Mustangs first away game of 2024. 
 
The game starts with a serve from the TMU Bold. Kendall Homenick wins the first point of the set for the Mustangs with a kill. TMU responds with a kill to equalise the points. Both teams come into the first set with lots of energy, trading points. A reach over called against the Bold puts the score at 7-4 to the Mustangs. After a serve from TMU, a double block from Amit Sayal and Kendall Homenick pushes the Mustangs to a four-point lead and gets the Mustangs’ bench fired up. TMU get a few points after a few errors from the Mustangs. Kai Higuchi further closes that point gap with a kill that finds the middle of the court. The Mustangs maintain their point lead throughout the set. A ball is sent out of bounds by the TMU Bold, putting the Mustangs within one point of the set win. Blake Fenwick serves with one point to the set win. After a long rally with both teams making excellent digs to keep the ball alive, the Bold win the point. A kill from Cade Smith gives Western the first set with a score of 25-17. 
 
Western gets a good lead early into the second set. The TMU Bold follow closely behind in points early into this second set. Kai Higuchi sends a kill into the middle of the court to equalise the points at 4-4. A few points later, Amit Sayal sends the ball over. The ball is received by TMU and sent back over. Josiah Esau sets the ball for Blake Fenwick who puts the ball back on TMU’s side. The ball goes off the fingertips of a TMU player, landing in an empty spot on their side of the court, giving the point to the Mustangs. This makes the score 16-12 to the Mustangs. TMU attempt to catch up the Mustangs points where a kill by Alex King sends the ball into the far-left corner bringing the team within two points of the Mustangs. An error into the net by TMU pushes the Mustangs three ahead. TMU close the gap and equalise with the Mustangs after a kill from TMU equalises the teams at 20-20. A ball sent over the net by TMU is received by Western, set by Josiah Esau and killed by Nicholas Folz. He sends the ball to the right of the court which makes its way through the block to give the Mustangs a one point lead. A further block from Western pushes the point lead to two. TMU catches up and pushes ahead by one. TMU take the second set 23-25. 
 
The third set starts with TMU winning the first point. After a long rally with both teams working to keep the ball alive, Liam Cobb from TMU gets to the net to block a ball from Western, giving TMU their first point of the third set. After TMU wins the second point, Western sends a ball over the net which bounces off the hands of a TMU player and onto the ceiling, giving the point to the Mustangs. Amit Sayal then finds the far-left corner to take the point after a ball is set by Josiah Esau. Despite TMU taking the second set and the first few points in the third set, the Mustangs push ahead. They push the score to 7-2 after a block from TMU goes out of bounds. This causes a timeout called by TMU. A few moments later a ball is saved by Josiah Esau, set by Owen Kelly and killed by Blake Fenwick who sends the ball down the middle of the court. Two TMU players dive for the ball, but are unable to return it. This makes the score 9-5 to the Mustangs. A service ace from Nicholas Folz gives the Mustangs another point. Despite making a good point lead, TMU come within four points but a kill from Amit Sayal makes the score 13-8 after the ball is set by Owen Kelly. An attacking error by Liam Cobb from TMU sees the ball fall on their side, giving the point to the Mustangs causing the TMU Bold to call for a timeout. A serve is sent over by TMU, an attempted kill from Amit Sayal is blocked by two TMU players but it goes out of bounds making the score 19-12 to Western. One point later, Amit Sayal serves the ball over the net. After an attempted kill is returned by TMU, the ball goes straight back over the net making it a free ball. Josiah Esau wins the point for Western after sending a ball into the middle of the court. The Mustangs come within three points of the set win after a ball is sent down the left-hand side of the court by Blake Fenwick. A triple block from Western wins the Mustangs the third set with a score of 25-15. 
 
Western lead early in the fourth set. A serve from Blake Fenwick sends the ball over the net. TMU sends it back over only to be met by a double block from Cade Smith and Kendall Homenick who push the Mustangs two points ahead early in the fourth set. A couple points later, a ball set by Josiah Esau is sent over the net by Kendall Homenick which makes its way through the TMU defence. Cade Smith puts the score at 7-3 to the Mustangs after a kill is placed into the far-left corner of the court. TMU push back despite the Mustang point lead after a ball from Kai Higuchi is placed in the far left of the court. This closes the point gap to five. TMU win another point as a ball from Jacob Walker finds its way through the double block. Despite TMU making point gains, the Mustangs maintain a point lead. Cade Smith gets a service ace putting the score at 17-10. Kai Higuchi gets two consecutive points, bringing the Bold within five points. However, Amit Sayal gets a kill to keep the Mustang energy high. A serve from Luca Stojanovic fires over the net and is sent back over the net by TMU but it is sent out of bounds. This brings with Mustangs within five points of the set win. Stojanovic serves again. TMU receive the ball sending it right back over the net. Blake Fenwick is then able to bring the Mustangs within four of the set win making the score 21-13. TMU come back with a couple of points late in the fourth set. A net violation from the TMU Bold brings the Mustangs within one point of the game win. A tense final point sees the two teams trading points, but a ball is sent out of bounds by TMU, giving the Mustangs the game-winning point. 
 
The two teams meet again tomorrow at 4pm EST. Watch the game on OUA.tv.