Box Score LONDON, Ont. – The Mustangs were handed their first loss of the season on Friday evening, being swept by the Guelph Gryphons in three sets (18-25, 22-25, 24-26). Western and Guelph now sport matching 1-1 records to head into their second matchups of the weekend.
 
Bryn Ramsay was the highest scoring player in on the court 15.5 points, while Guelph's Zachary Newman followed closely behind with 13.
 
Western initially kept pace with the Gryphons, keeping the point difference narrow and the score tied 10-10. It was just after that mark that Guelph began to pull away, relying on the arm of Newman to put the ball over the net.
 
The Kitchener native swung on 11 balls throughout the first set for three kills, while Jared Harris, Kendrick Kerr, Gregory Olejnik, and Samuel Kloke all added two kills. With a balanced offence able to generate points from every position, the Gryphons were able to keep the Mustangs guessing.
 
Guelph was able to keep the Mustangs at an arm's length throughout the remainder of the set, heading to the bench with a 25-18 first set victory.
 
The Gryphons got off to a faster start in the second set, with a five-point run building up a healthy lead at 8-3. Newman continued to be setter Kloke's favourite target, while Matt Hooker led the Mustangs in the backcourt.
 
A purple and white comeback began brewing from the base line late in the set, with two aces each from Ramsay and Evan Hammond boosting the Mustangs, along with a pair of service errors from Guelph.
 
Western matched the Gryphons at 21s, only for a four-point run from Guelph to end the set at 25-22.
 
Set three was the most competitive of the evening, with the Mustangs pushing the Gryphons into additional points before they could claim the victory.
 
Ramsay and Taylor dominated at the net as the most successful attackers on the Mustangs roster, while Kerr led the Gryphons from the middle. The 2015-16 Guelph MVP waited until the final set to give his most explosive performance, bringing his attack percentage to .750.
 
Western and the Gryphons were going point-for-point for the first half of the set, with neither team building more than a two-point lead before heading into the technical.
 
The lead swapped back-and-forth five times throughout the set, but it was Guelph who would end up on top. As they had all evening, purple and white errors helped carry the Gryphons to the win, with two of Guelph's final points coming from Mustangs service errors, and a third coming from an attack error.
 
It would be that attack error that put the final nail in coffin, giving the Gryphons the two point lead they needed to take the final set.
 
The Mustangs will be back on the court on Sunday, when they host the Waterloo Warriors at Alumni Hall. Game time is set for 3 p.m., with the women's teams first facing off at 1 p.m.