London, ON – Facing McMaster for the second time this week, the Mustangs returned home to Alumni Hall for a hard-fought battle, eventually losing 3-1.
 
The purple and white have started the season off strong, going 5-0 in 2021. Their first two losses have come against McMaster this week after an extended time off and only seven days of training to prepare.
 
"We were on a high [at the end of the 2021 schedule], and excited to come back in the new year," said Kate Van Camp. "Melissa was really great at keeping us connected over Zoom calls and we did workout challenges for the month of January and stayed in contact to help keep us motivated while we were at home."
 
A dig from Janelle Albert was finished by Lauren Pastor to start the Mustangs off strong against their opponent with a 4-1 lead, however the teams would exchange points for most of the first set, keeping it close.  
 
Back-to-back kills by Albert would give Western another lead at 11-9, but the visitors would once again tie it at 12. McMaster would lead 16-15 at the technical timeout.
 
Rallying behind captain Kate Van Camp's serve, Western were able to maintain a lead yet again, this time at 20-17. McMaster would climb back however, refusing to give up on the set.
 
The purple and white were able to save off a Marauders set point thanks to a long rally highlighted with incredible digs by libero Maddie Bowles and a block by Claire Stewart. It wouldn't be enough however, as the visitors would ultimately take the set 26-24.
 
"They have come out firing against us, and we definitely were not expecting that," said Van Camp. "They are the strongest blocking team we have faced this year, so that was a shock to our system."
 
Albert kicked off the second set for the 'Stangs, putting them ahead 2-1. McMaster would soon build off their first set momentum and climb to an 8-3 lead, putting the purple and white under pressure to climb back into the game.
 
With the score reading 13-6, Western showed their determination and were able to cut the deficit to 3 off of a Van Camp serve and some Albert kills.
 
Despite their efforts, the purple and white weren't able to find a way back into the set as they lost it 25-14.
 
The third set proved to be much different for the hosts as captain Kate Van Camp rallied her squad. Not discouraged from being down 2 sets, Western got off to a blazing start in the third by claiming a 5-1 lead, eliciting energetic cheers from the bench.
 
"Playing more free with a little less pressure is definitely how they entered set three," said coach Melissa Bartlett. "But that mindset is really hard to sustain, and I think that's what we saw because it did carry into the start of set four but didn't last."
 
The purple and white would double up on their opponents at 16-8, with electric blocks from Stewart, Albert and Pastor sending the home team and their supporters to their feet.
 
"There was fire under our step," said Van Camp. "On the bench I said, 'Lets go out there and show them. We have nothing to lose at this point, we've already lost in three on Thursday. Lets show them something and give them a good game', so I think we fought hard in that third set and just couldn't close off the fourth."
 
The Mustangs would continue to run away with the set, claiming it 25-14, keeping them in the game.
 
Now only one set down and looking to tie it up, Western rode their new-found momentum to an early 9-3 fourth set lead thanks to some big serves from Lexi Iggulden and kills from Rachel Gray.
 
The visiting Marauders continued to pressure however and closed the gap to tie it up at 13-13, and eventually took on a significant lead of their own at 18-14. Big plays from Van Camp, Gray, and Iggulden would lead the way as the purple and white tied it up at 19 a piece.
 
The Mustangs couldn't find their way back into this one, dropping the set 26-24, and the match along with it.
 
"We learned a lot about ourselves," said Bartlett. "It's a good lesson going forward that we are going to be able to implement in training, so that's a real positive to take."
 
Now at 5-2 on the season, an undefeated Brock side is next on Western's list, and they are already thinking ahead.
 
"We have been looking forward to that game all year," said Bartlett. "They have some really outstanding players and it's going to be a great challenge."
 
The Mustangs are back in action at 5pm on Friday, February 18^th, as they welcome Brock to Alumni Hall.