LONDON, Ont. - The Western Mustangs kicked off the 2017 regular season with a two-game split, falling to the York Lions on Saturday before defeating the McGill Martlets on Sunday. 

Western started things off with their first and only home game of the year on Saturday as they welcomed the Lions to TD Stadium. The Lions were hungry to redeem themselves after last year's loss to Western during the OUA semi-finals - a game that propelled the Mustangs to their bronze medal victory.

The Mustangs fought hard to fend off York's persistent offensive attacks in the first 35 minutes, only trailing 1-0 going into the second half. A few defensive breakdowns towards the end of the game saw Lions tally four more goals, eventually falling 5-0 to one of the league's top teams.
 
On Sunday, the team travelled to Guelph to square off against McGill. The Mustangs dominated offensively in the first half with strong performances across the midfield. Even with several scoring opportunities Western was unable to find the back of the net until the second half, when Western's impressive attack finally translated into a goal for first year player Payten Lang.

The Mustangs continued to add to their lead with an impressive personal effort from third year Brigid Sterling who painted the line before tucking the ball in short side. Western continued to maintain offensive control for the rest of the game, only allowing one goal late in the second half after a call on the field.

The Mustangs will have another chance to rack up three points against McGill next weekend at Queen's University.