LONDON, Ont. – One of the OUA's oldest rivalries added another chapter on Saturday, as the Western Mustangs and Queen's Gaels played to an 11-11 draw at Alumni Field.
The Mustangs were looking to avenge a loss to Queen's in last year's semi-finals, while the Gaels were out to prove why they have been OUA champions for the past four years.
"That's a big game to come away with a tie," said Mustangs head coach Tom Dolezel. "Especially with Queen's being four-time OUA champs. You kind of put them on a pedestal… so to kind of knock down the giant, is always good for us."
Queen's was on the offensive at the start of the first half, pushing an aggressive front into Mustangs' territory. Western remained steady on defence, but Queen's maintained their position for the majority of the first half.
However, it was the Mustangs who were first on the board after a successful penalty kick from
Mitchell Brant in the 28th minute gave Western a 3-0 lead.
Brant would add another penalty kick to the scoreboard late in the first, but the Gaels Dylan Young would soon match him with a successful kick of his own to close out the first 40 minutes with Western up 6-3.
The purple and white maintained their lead until the midway point of the second, when Young connected with his second penalty goal of the game to tie things up at 6-6.
That score wouldn't be on the board for long before
Peter Milazzo battled through the Gaels defence to put the Mustangs back in front with a try in the 63rd minute that made it 11-6 in favour of the home side.
Continuing the theme of the day, a response wouldn't take long, as Angus MacPhail ran in a try of his own for the Gaels, notting things up at 11-11 in the 69th minute.
Despite valient efforts from both teams over the final 10 minutes, neither team was able to add any more points to the board, and the game would end in an 11-11 draw.
"We knew we had to play Western rugby," said Milazzo. "Whatever Queen's brings they bring. We knew they would bring a good game and I think we matched them pretty well today."
The Western Mustangs now get set for a matchup with the undefeated Guelph Gryphons on Friday, October 7. Game time is set for 3 p.m. at Alumni Field.
