THUNDER BAY, Ont. – Playing through five sets for only the second time this season, the Mustangs stumbled but were ultimately able to top the Lakehead Thunderwolves at the C.J. Sanders Fieldhouse on Saturday evening.
 
The win allows Western to continue to hold down second place in OUA West with a 9-2 record while Lakehead's 5-8 record is good for fifth place in the West.
 
Kelsey Veltman, in her best performance of the season, recorded 20.5 points from 17 kills and four blocks to lead the Mustangs to victory. Coming in just behind the 6-2 native of Brampton were Serena Smith with 12 points and Aja Gyimah with 11.
 
Topping Lakehead's scoresheet was Leah Mousseau with 16.5 points, while Catherine Klassen came in with 13.
 
The Mustangs quickly grabbed control of the game early with a grip like a vice, refusing to ease off throughout the first set. The set lasted fewer than 20 minutes, as the Thunderwolves were unable to interrupt Western long enough to put up more than two or three consecutive points.
 
Western's attack characteristically combined both speed and accuracy to cut through Lakehead's blockers and hit the floor just beyond the reach of the back three. While Veltman was able to draw an audible response from the crowd with a few of her shots, points were evenly distributed throughout the team.
 
Standing in stark contrast to the versatility of the purple and white attack, the Thunderwolves relied on Manitoba's Kailan Robinson to put points up on the board. She found success in the early moments of the match but the Mustangs quickly picked up on the uneven distribution of attacks. Expecting the ball to come over from the left side, Katherine Tsiofas anchored the block that further cut down Lakehead's scoring opportunities.
 
Even with an enthusiastic home-court crowd cheering them on, the Thunderwolves struggled to match Western's level of play with the set coming to a close at 25-14.
 
The Mustang momentum rolled right through the break and into the second set, allowing back-to-back point runs for an early Western lead. Veltman stood out as the greatest threat in the front court, putting up solid blocks while her step around and quick attacks continued to impress the crowd.
 
The Thunderwolves were kept at an arm's length until a run of Mustang errors sent a surge of energy through the opposing corps. The sudden revitalization gave the Lakehead contingent all that they needed to come back from a seven-point deficit and hit the 20-point mark ahead of Western. Lakehead continued to control the pace of the set, reaching victory at 20-25.
 
Opening up with longer rallies than seen in the previous set, the third set saw a more competitive play than in the previous sets. Sporting matching scores at multiple times throughout the set, neither team was able to fully recapture their earlier momentum.
 
Lakehead, no longer holding back power, began to pump out kills with an awe-factor to match Western while also cleaning up their defensive game. Mousseau, an Ottawa native, continued to be key to the Thunderwolf effort in all areas of the game, with back-to-back aces and impressive tendency to trip up the Mustang defence.

The teams remained tight until the final points of the third, when a late burst from Western allowed them to close out the set at 25-22.

The game continued to be well matched into the fourth set, with Lakehead continuing to rise to Western's level of play – even surpassing it to post a modest lead. Furthering the Thunderwolf effort was a sharp increase in net violations from the Mustangs.
 
It wasn't until Danielle Grasman moved into the front line that the Mustangs moved back ahead, with every ball she lined up to block dropping back onto the Thunderwolf half of the floor. Veltman continued Grasman's efforts after rotating back into the front, blocking consecutive shots to bring Western within two points of ending the fourth set and taking the game.
 
Refusing to allow the game to slip through their fingers, the Thunderwolves pushed back to force the set into extra points. Tied at 28, Lakehead pushed out a final two to win the set 28-30 and force a fifth.
 
Both teams came out swinging for the final set as they battled for the win. The Thunderwolves led at the 8-mark, with libero Alyssa Genereux responsible for much of the on-court success but Western was able to respond to Lakehead's increased block coverage and closed out the match with one final block.
 
The teams are set for a rematch tomorrow night, when the Thunderwolves will have another opportunity to try and take down the Mustangs. The opening serve is expected to be sent over the net at 7pm, with live streaming available at OUA.tv.