LONDON, ON – In a rainy Saturday afternoon matchup, the Western Mustangs faced-off against the Queens Gaels, ultimately falling 32-26.
 
In an intense showdown between rivals, the Queens Gaels struck first against the Mustangs with a try just over 4 minutes into the match, followed by a successful conversion, giving them an early lead of 7-0.
 
The initial minutes of the game showcased a very even matchup, with both teams fighting hard and tensions running high. Queens continued to build on their lead, however, scoring another try just 2 minutes later, advancing to 12-0.
 
Despite the Mustangs' valiant efforts, the Gaels pushed even harder, adding another try to their tally, furthering their lead to 17-0.
 
The Mustangs, however, made significant progress down the field, gaining more ground than they had since the Gaels began scoring and tightening up after the opening ten minutes.
 
Western exploited the gaps in the Gaels' defense, and they finally put points on the board, with Gavin Schroeder scoring their first try halfway into the half. A successful conversion brought the score to 17-7, narrowing the gap.

"We went into this game with a mindset that we didn't have in the previous weeks - we were really taking it personally this week and were really looking to get it done," said Schroeder echoed by his teammate Connor Arthur saying "we came in with nothing to lose - they're top of the league, one of the best teams here so it was a personal game for us... we just wanted to come in and make a statement for the end of the year." 
 
The Mustangs displayed a more aggressive style of play than they had in the opening quarter of the match, making it significantly more difficult for the Gaels to continue advancing at the same pace.
 
Queens continued to charge down the pitch, going on a 30-meter sprint, which allowed them to secure their fourth try of the afternoon, extending their lead to 24-7 by the end of the first half.
 
As the second half began, the Mustangs adopted a more aggressive approach. They appeared to be the dominant team as compared to the opening minutes.

"They never quit, they started playing like they are capable of playing," said the Mustangs' Head Coach Ian McLeod, "it was nothing special or fantastic [that changed], they just found their stride and played the game the way they're supposed to play." 
 
Just over six minutes into the half, the Mustangs scored once more, upping the score 24-14 and cutting the visiting team's lead to ten. 
 
As the rain subsided, Western showed undeniable improvement in the second half, pushing hard for the final home game of the regular season.
 
Arthur then scored the team's third try, pushing the score up to 31-19 following a try that Queens had touched down not much earlier.
 
With only one minute remaining, the Mustangs put the final points on the board, with a try coming from AJ Fraser, bringing the final score to 32-26 in favor of the Gaels.
 
The Mustangs displayed unwavering determination throughout the game, pushing hard throughout the match to make up for the shaky start.
 
However, they ultimately fell to the Gaels, setting their sights on the final game of the regular season against the Gryphons in Guelph on Saturday, October 21.