GUELPH, Ont. – The Western Mustangs traveled to Guelph this weekend for a three-game season opening weekend, coming away with two losses and a draw.
 
The Mustangs began their weekend against the Toronto Varsity Blues, playing up to the defending OUA Champions level from the first whistle. After a long fought battle, the Blues were able to pull ahead of Western and take a 3-0 win.
 
Moving onto their second game of the day, the Mustangs were faced with a gritty battle with Waterloo. The Warriors pulled ahead in the first half by slipping the ball past goalkeeper Margret Yu, but Jessica Sutherland responded by finding the back of Waterloo's net.  As the clock ran out, neither the Warriors nor the Mustangs were able to obtain another goal, resulting in an even 1-1 game.
 
To cap off the weekend, Western was set to face one of the OUA's toughest opponents in the Guelph Gryphons. The Gryphons got off to a quick start by scoring two goals in the first five minutes and stunning the Mustangs. A strong attack on short corners allowed Guelph to extend their lead to 4-0 as the game wore on. The Mustangs quickly changed their pace by having Tamara Evans charge down the field and send the ball to forward Lindsay Borrell to capitalize on an open net, ending the half on a positive note.
 
The purple and white came out strong in the second half by countering the Gryphons' attack with a rigid defensive line and goal-line saves by Marielle Fernback. The Mustangs continued pressing, with strong rushes from the offensive line led by center forward Sabrina Bradshaw. Unfortunately, the team was not able to solve the goalie a second time, and returned home with a 6-1 loss.
 
The Mustangs will attempt to bounce back next weekend as they visit the Toronto and face off against McGill Saturday, September 24. They then return to the pitch the following day, Sunday September 25, to challenge York at 9 a.m. and longtime rivals Queen's at 12:30 p.m.