OTTAWA - The Western Mustangs fell to the Ottawa Gee Gees, 71-66, in the nation's capital Friday night in the team's official OUA kick-off match at Montpetit Hall.

Though the 'Stangs received a big push from fifth-year stand-out and last  year's OUA scoring champion, Jenny Vaughan, the effort was not enough to offset a massive second-half comeback from the home team.

Vaughan would finish with a game-high 26 points – with stellar 10-for-11 shooting from the foul line – but no other Mustang seemed to be able to find their touch as the team saw their 31-28 lead at the half disappear under a renewed intensity from the Gee-Gees.

Despite Western shooters draining the ball at a higher success rate from all areas of the floor, edging the Gee-Gees out in general field-goal accuracy 36.5% to 35.4% and from three-point territory 27.3% to 15.8%, it was the Gee-Gees who spread the scoring around with four players in double digits compared to two for the Mustangs.

Ottawa quickly found their opponent's Kryptonite on the boards, eventually out-rebounding the Purple and White 59 to 36. Gee-Gees starter Maddie Stephen and reserve Maddie Tilk combined for an impressive 30 points and 30 rebounds for a pair of double-doubles. Even more impressive were that Tilk's 14-point, 16-rebound night came in only 16 minutes of action.

First-year forward Victoria Heine totaled a team-high 12 rebounds for the Mustangs while coming off the bench in her OUA regular season debut.

The Mustangs will complete their season-opening road-trip in the land of 'PMs' and 'MPs' while looking for a big 'W' against the Carleton Ravens, a perianal play-off contender in the OUA. Tip-off is at 6:00 p.m. and fans can watch the action live via the Ravens webcast.