LONDON, ON - In a tense battle against division-leading Waterloo Warriors, the Western Mustangs' relentless defense and strategy secured a 70-64 victory.
In a clash against the division-leading Warriors, the Western Mustangs showcased powerful defense during the opening minutes, establishing their lead early in this heavily contested battle.Â
"We knew they were going to be really physical, so that was one of the big keys - to hit them first," said Mustang Sam Vidovic. "Something we've talked about all season is not having dips," she continued, "I think that was something today we were really thinking of, just keep the energy up."Â
Both teams fought hard against each other, with both sides scoring below the 5-point mark in the initial three minutes.Â
The first field goal of the night came from Paris Alexander just over six minutes into the quarter, giving the Mustangs a slim 6-5 lead.
Jordynn Bryan's offensive rebound and second-chance shot extended the lead up to three. Western's impressive transition defense allowed them to finish the quarter with a 16-12 lead.
Â
The Mustangs continued their dominant offense into the second quarter, with Avarie Thomas sinking a 3-pointer on the opening possession.Â
Pulling ahead, Western gained a 10-point lead just three minutes in, marking their largest lead so far of the night.Â
Western's defense remained exceptional, outscoring the Warriors 19-08 in the second quarter and securing a commanding 35-20 lead at halftime.
Â
The Mustangs maintained their defensive strength in the third quarter, holding tight on their opponents and preventing scoring attempts, sustaining the double-digit lead.Â
Sam Cowan's coast-to-coast play furthered the lead to 47-34 in the last minutes of the quarter.Â
"Our focus of the game was just to fight back as hard as they did," said Cowan, "we knew it was going to be aggressive, we knew it was going to be a bloodbath and a fight... I think we did a good job fighting through." n
A buzzer-beater from MacKeely Shantz concluded the quarter with Western leading 53-37, having out-scored the Warriors by one point.
Â
Both teams exhibited high energy at the start of the final quarter, with the Mustangs determined to secure a victory against the top team in the West.Â
"We played the way that I think we're capable of and the way that I love watching us play," said Nate McKibbon, the Mustangs' Head Coach. "I'm real proud of the way they played, we played free."Â
Maintaining the lead since the first quarter, Western faced a relentless Warriors team that had narrowed the score to single-digits with minutes remaining.Â
The Warriors fought hard, threatening the Mustangs' lead until the final moments, but Western fought hard, ultimately securing a hard-fought victory with a final score of 70-64.
Â
Western's next game is next Friday, January 12 at 6 pm against the Toronto Varsity Blues at Alumni Hall. Fans can purchase tickets at WesternMustangs.ca/Tickets or watch live at OUA.tv!
Western students have free entry to all regular season home games with their OneCards.
