Box Score LONDON, Ont.- The Western Mustangs men’s volleyball team stepped onto the court after a straight set win yesterday to face the nationally ranked, first-ranked OUA team McMaster Marauders in front of a full house. The match disappointed no one looking for excitement as the two top teams fought for a win. After four sets of action, the Mustangs fell 1-3 and keep the McMaster Marauders undefeated.
 
Set scores were 23-25, 26-24, 20-25, 19-25.
 
Western head coach Jim Sage said he feels “good and bad” about today’s game. “The good thing is, that there is not that far a difference between the two teams, which is exciting because that means we have a legitimate shot at an Ontario title. But we need to play better, we need to work harder, and we need to understand how consistent they (McMaster) are; hopefully the guys got the message out.”
 
Leading the Mustangs was Garrett May with 16 kills on 44 attempts, and a team high of 18 points, while setter Sean McKay had 31 assists and ten digs.
 
With the blow of a whistle, the Mustangs took off to score the first two points of the opening set. McMaster managed to edge Western by a few points, only for the Mustangs to trail on the Marauders and tie the set. The game went point for point, and Western eventually pushed past maroon jerseys with a three-point lead. McKay ran across borders in every effort to keep Western’s advantage. Ahead by two at a technical time out, white and purple kept the edge on the Marauders, but McMaster leveled Western and forced the Mustangs into a subsequent time out. Going point for point for the remaining score, McMaster topped Western 25-23.
 
Both teams fought hard to gain a lead in the second. Luke Sim sent a service that McMaster could not respond to, while Phil James smashed the ball into the Marauders’ lane. Western started to fall behind the nationally-ranked McMaster squad; the visiting team's middle Danny Demyanenko Jimenez sent attacks the Mustangs fell to, making it difficult for the men to get back on their horse.

The game's momentum was not lost, however, as white and purple continued to fight and broke maroon’s seven-point lead. World beach volleyball champion May channeled kills that Western’s guests could not handle. The score evened out, awakening Western's opponents into a time out. James stole two points for the Mustangs and won the race to set point, where Western capitalized to finish the set 26-24.
 
Tied 1-1 with undefeated McMaster after two competitive sets, the third round started no different in rallies point for point. Jack Creaghan and Dominic Kucharski showed power blocking, helping the Mustangs double the Marauders’ score, surging to a seven point lead over McMaster. Keeping a strong lead, Mustang left side Derek Kuiack blocked anything the Marauders sent over. McMaster would not settle and brought the game to its favour at technical time out. The Mustangs fell just behind and could not catch the Marauders, who took the third set 25-20.
 
Following suit, the fourth set started point for point as the Marauders gained a sight edge on the Mustangs. McMaster maintaining its lead, and Western fought hard to stay close behind. Maroon had a six-point advance on the Mustangs at technical time out, but that gap didn’t last for long with James and Sim planting the ball in McMaster’s court.

The Mustangs lost several key points, but not team momentum as Western fell short to the Marauders 19-25 for the third time, losing the match.
 
Leading the Marauders was Danny Demyanenko Jimenez with 17 kills on 26 attempts, and a game high of 20 points.
 
The Mustangs are on the road this week where they will rally the Lancers in Windsor on Wednesday, November 28 at 8:00 p.m.