GUELPH, Ont. – Despite a number of standout performances, the Mustangs suffered their second loss of the season on Sunday afternoon after a five set battle (19-25, 25-16, 25-17, 25-27, 13-15) against the Guelph Gryphons.
 
The loss moves Western's record to 13-2, but they continue to lead the OUA West. The Mustangs also fare well when compared to the East division, with only the Varsity Blues besting the purple and white record.
 
Guelph continues to occupy third in the West Division, with the afternoon's victory giving them 11 wins and five losses so far this season.
 
Kelsey Veltman contributed 27 points to the purple and white offence, while Aja Gyimah added 14. Danielle Grasman also recorded one of her best performances of the season with 13 points.
 
Guelph would rely on Victoria Golebiowski for 16 points, while Jessica Gormley pitched in 15.5.
 
Set one set the stage for one of the tightest battles the Mustangs have faced all year long.
 
Guelph offered one of the best responses to the Mustangs' high powered offence that Western has seen this season. Gormley dominated at the net to anchor the blocking effort, while Cayte Wilson, Dedecker, and Libby Donevan also shut down the Mustangs hitters.
 
Gormley was also one of the most reliable hitters for the Gryphons, while Western counted on Veltman to generate points. However, Veltman wasn't utilized to the extent she typically is at the net. Serve receive was a sticking point for the Mustangs and the team struggled to send setter Kat Tsiofas a pass that allowed for all offensive options.
 
The Mustangs struggled to keep pace with their opponents – a rare occurrence for one of the strongest teams in the nation – to drop the first set 19-25.
 
Western burst out of the gate in the second to pick up a fast lead that would only grow as the set wore on, with the Mustangs eventually building their lead as high 11 points.
 
The Mustangs had effectively eliminated the weakest parts of their game that allowed for Gryphon victory in the first set. Improved serve receive helped Western's offence, but the most impactful changes were arguably the reduction in free balls sent over the net, and a reduction of unforced errors.
 
It wasn't until the Mustangs hit the 20-point mark that Guelph began to clean up their game and fight back, but the late effort couldn't stop Western from taking the set by a score of 25-16.
 
Another fast start by the Mustangs kicked off the third set as the Gryphon offence crumbled under pressure. An eight-point lead carried Western through the set right to the 25-point mark, while Guelph had only put up 16 points.
 
Tight defensive coverage on the part of the Mustangs kept Guelph from relying on Dedecker, Golebiowski, and Gormley as they had in previous sets to carry the team offensively, while Veltman, Gyimah, and Langegger were all able to routinely able to find open floor.
 
Set four proved to be the most competitive of the day, with the Gryphons holding a slight edge for much of the game.
 
Guelph's offence had finally rebounded from the stagnation of the previous two sets and were better able to find the seam, while Western's attackers continued to thrive.
 
Rallies only became longer throughout the set as both teams upped their game, but the Gryphons would come out on top at 27-25 to force a fifth set.
 
The back-and-forth pace of the game continued into the final set of the match as the Gryphons and Mustangs took turns going on short point runs.
 
Guelph held a two-point lead halfway through the set after rookie Michaela Hellinga and Dedecker drove the offence. Tia Miric and Courtney Sestric helped the Mustangs combat the firepower of the Gryphons, allowing little to hit the floor.
 
Sestric, a starter since her first year as a Mustang, kept the Mustangs in more than one marathon rally in the final set and provided Tsiofas with near perfect passes to kickstart the offence.
 
Miric has previously acted as setter for the purple and white, but switched into the outside hitter role in the fourth set. The beach volleyball champion's quick feet allowed her to be one of the most effective defensive players on the floor, while also securing points at key times while in the front row.
 
Despite a number of standout performances from the Mustangs, the Gryphons took the match after winning the fifth set by a narrow two-point margin.
 
The Mustangs will be back in action next weekend when they return to Alumni Hall for a pair of games against Trent and Toronto. Saturday's game against the Varsity Blues will be the final regular season game hosted by Western and will serve as the team's Senior Day.