LONDON, Ont. – The Western Mustangs opened their season with a rematch of the previous season's OUA bronze medal match, but this time it was the McMaster Marauders who walked away with the victory, taking the game by a score of 16-10.
 
Mark Denton and Glen Thomson-Bullock each pitched in five points for the Mustangs, while McMaster's Will Kelly led all players with 11 points coming from a try and two penalty goals.
 
"We're going to go back and review this," said Mustangs head coach Tom Dolezel about the game. "We'll touch on points, correct mistakes, and fix it. It's a good leaning point, I'd rather this happen now than later. It gave us a reality check."
 
"We were on our back foot from the beginning and we're as prepared as we needed to be," added Thomson-Bullock. "But it's okay, it's a wakeup call. It's the first game. The season's not over yet."
 
The Marauders were dominant from the start and immediately pushed play deep into the purple and white half where it would stay for most of the first forty.   
 
Kelly was the first to put points up on the board, running the ball in for a try 26 minutes into the half. The Marauders nearly earned the first try of the evening minutes earlier after getting past the 10 metre line, but were initially unable to break through the Mustangs.
 
Kelly's would be the only points on the board throughout the first half, as the first half ended with the Marauders up 5-0.
 
The second half saw a more aggressive Mustangs contingent, highlighted by Thomson-Bullock's dash to the in-goal area less than a minute after play resumed. Even though the ball was planted just feet from the sideline, Denton sent the convert through the uprights to push Western into the lead.
 
"They're both leaders on the team," said Dolezel of Denton and Thomson-Bullock's performance. "Glen was directing traffic quite well, so with him on the field things get done. Both he and Mark have good footwork. They're both threats, it's good to have them."
 
McMaster's Matt Nicol scored the final try of the evening with 36 minutes remaining on the clock, but another nine points would be added before the end of the game.
 
Denton recorded a penalty goal to tie the match at 10-10, but Kelly would send two penalty goals of his own through the goal posts – securing a 16-10 win for the Marauders.
 
The Mustangs are back in action at Alumni Field Sunday at 3 p.m., when they host the RMC Paladins.