LONDON, Ont. – Team-wide near flawless execution at the net led the Mustangs to a commanding three set (25-12, 25-10, 25-17) victory over the Brock Badgers at Alumni Hall on Saturday afternoon.
 
"A lot of people [really stuck out today]," said head coach Melissa Bartlett about what led to Western's success on the court. "Kelsey had six kills with zero errors, Aja was pretty consistent. We had four different left sides play and I think they all hit .200, which for a left side is fantastic."
 
Middles Kelsey Veltman and Grasman topped the purple and white scoresheet, recording 9.5 and 8.5 points respectively. The majority of Veltman's point's came from her notorious attack, while Grasman's were split across aces and kills.
 
Grace Edwards and Amy Cureton were the highest scoring athletes on Brock's roster, each with five points.
 
Bartlett has spoken at length this season about the necessity of the Mustangs being able to play through an entire set without breaking focus, but it was the Badgers who struggled with inconsistent play.
 
The team alternated between being able to handle and return – with equal strength – the attacks of the purple and white lineup, and being unable to chase down the Mustangs attacks. As the set continued Brock spent more time struggling to regain footing than earning points.
 
Western, however, remained in peak form throughout the entirety of the set. The only flaws in the purple and white game was a single serving error and two attack errors. Veltman was responsible for six of the team's points, while Taylor Beedie added three and also led the team in the backcourt, as the Mustangs cruised to a 25-12 win.
 
Set two saw much of the same from the Mustangs, who forced their opponent into a timeout after outscoring Brock 4-1 in the opening points of the frame. The single point for the Badgers came from a Mustang serving error.  
 
A brief burst of energy following the timeout allowed the Badgers to match the Mustangs at four points, but the point difference was quickly re-established when Grasman took over at the base line.
 
The Komoka, Ont. native went on a lengthy serving run after moving into position when the Mustangs were down by one point. After finally losing the serve, Western held a 12-point lead.
 
"That was the best serving I've ever seen from [Grasman]," noted Bartlett.
 
"We always want to be the better serving team at home, you have that home court advantage. Last night we did half an hour of straight serving practice. I said to the girls that it really showed. Not only were our serves on location, but they were tough serves."
 
"We really focus on winning the next point. We don't think about the finish," said Grasman about her performance. "I just tell myself 'over and in'. You serve at the target – over and in. Focus on one serve at a time."
 
Grasman recorded four aces while maintaining composure through both a Badger timeout and the technical.  
 
Offensive dominance by Beedie, Veltman, and Gyimah helped push the Mustangs over the top, closing out the second set with a score of 25-10.
 
Western continued to control the match early in the third set, earning nearly as many points as they were handed by the Badgers.
 
Communication breakdowns on the Brock half of the court prevented them from settling into their defensive coverage, while double touches continued to plague their setters. However, the final set also saw the Badgers offer the strongest offensive play they had all match.
 
"[Brock] started to really come on in the third set," said Bartlett. "They pushed us a bit, and we pushed back. We worked on some new things in practice and were able to implement them, which was really great."
 
"There was a little bit of a lack of focus on our side. We really have to remember that the game isn't over after two sets," noted Grasman about Brock's mounting comeback.
 
Renee Helmer, after recording only two attacks across the first two sets, took over as the primary threat on the floor. The fourth-year left side became the biggest threat on the Badgers court to take over for Edwards.  
 
Despite continuing to trail throughout the final frame, Helmer gave the Badgers a fighting chance. However, a kill from Karleigh Matheson would ultimately give the Mustangs the final point they needed to take the set by a score of 25-17.
 
The Mustangs are back on the court next Saturday, February 4, when they welcome the Windsor Lancers to Alumni Hall.