Box Score LONDON, Ont.- Starting their season on the road last weekend the Western Mustangs men’s volleyball team returned to Alumni Hall Friday night for their home opener against the Waterloo Warriors. Although the crowd was in Western’s favour, the score took a different turn as the Mustangs lost in five extremely close sets 3-2, suffering their first loss of the young season.
 
Set scores were 21-25, 24-26, 25-13, 26-24, 14-16.
 
Head coach Jim Sage was disappointed with the outcome saying, “we should have won the fifth set, we were in control during the whole thing. During the last few points the ball bounced Waterloo’s way, but congrats to them too for coming back as well in the fifth set.”
 
Justin Scapinello led the Mustangs with 15 kills on 43 attempts earning 17.5 points in five sets while setter Sean McKay had 54 assists and eight digs. The Warriors were led by middle Jordan Dyck with 15 kills on 26 attempts and a game high of 18.5 points.
 
Stepping onto the court with confidence from last weekend’s success, the Mustangs took the lead immediately into the set. The Mustangs had great coordination with McKay back-setting to Alan Screaton while Derek Kuiack powered through the Warriors’ shields catching them off guard along with middle Phil James who blocked their attempts. Despite Western’s strong team play the Warriors would get out to an 18-10 lead before the Mustangs stormed back, recording eight of the next ten points to close the gap to two points. Unfortunately for the purple and white that was as close as they would get as Waterloo took the set 25-21.
 
Disappointed after losing the first set, Western pledged to change the fates and gained a 5-2 lead over Waterloo. The Mustangs refused to give up their lead saving the ball at any cost, exemplified by middle Luke Sim ‘chesting’ the ball to setter McKay who dove for a huge dig earning the rally point for the ‘Stangs. With Waterloo following just behind, Sim made sure to block anything in his way and the Mustangs led by five points at technical time out. However the Warriors quickly gained six points to tie the game. It was point for point when Mustangs fell just short 24-26 in the frame.
 
Down two sets to none the Mustangs entered the third set determined to turn things around and kept a steady lead for the first half of the set. Garrett May had another good game including a highlight-reel play midway through the third set. May blocked the ball before Waterloo sent it back only for May to smash it right back into their court and put the Mustangs ahead 12-6. Western would go on to take the set 25-13 to force a fourth set.
 
In the fourth set neither team was giving up points easily, but Waterloo eventually went up by four, leading 10-6 . Taking no prisoners, the Mustangs climbed to trail only two points behind 17-19 forcing the Warriors into a time out. Determined to win, McKay turned the set into another point for point situation tying 24-24. After going up 25-24 Waterloo and Western challenged each other in a rally that seemed to last forever, before the Mustangs took control winning the rally, the set and a standing ovation from the crowd.
 
Entering the fifth and final set tied 2-2, both teams were fired up making this match begin with nothing less than point for point scores with neither team holding an edge until Western went up 11-7 late in the set. Unfortunately for the Mustangs Waterloo would score nine of the next 12 points to win the final set 16-14 and escape with a 3-2 victory.
 
The Western Mustangs men’s volleyball team continue their first home stand of the season Saturday night in Alumni Hall at 7:00 p.m. when they take on the Guelph Gryphons.