Mustangs move into the OUA lead with 3-1 win over TMU

London, ON – The Mustangs picked their fifth win in a row and second straight win over the TMU Bold on Saturday afternoon. Western secured a 3-1 victory with set scores of 25-22, 20-25, 25-20, and 25-19.
 
The Mustangs took an early lead in the first set with key contributions from Claire Stewart and Lael Harrison. They maintained momentum with a series of effective plays, including a block by Ava Ebert that contributed to a 6-4 lead. Rachel Gray sealed the set for the Mustangs with a decisive kill, bringing the final score to 25-22 in their favour.

W?? END OF 1ST SET
An extended rally to finish the first set goes the Mustangs way at 25-22. Rachel Gray leads Western with 5 kills.

TMU l 0
WES l 1
?? stream the game LIVE on https://t.co/otXrD4PfAj#RunWithUs l #LetsGoMustangs l #TMUvsWES pic.twitter.com/CSuAveukh9

— Western Mustangs (@WesternMustangs) January 11, 2025

 
In the second set, Stewart and Harrison continued their solid play, while Emma Buntic had a standout performance with three kills, including a crucial point at 9-9 to keep the teams tied. Despite a timeout at 14-11, the Mustangs managed to close the gap to 19-17 with consecutive points from Lael Harrison, but the Bold pulled away to secure the set 25-20.
 
In the third set, The Mustangs started strong the set with a kill that set the pace for Western. Thea Ishida further contributed to the team’s success with multiple assists, aiding Harrison and Tukker in critical kills, including a run from 18-15 to 21-16. The set concluded with the Mustangs capitalizing on a service error by TMU’s Kaiya Krahn, sealing the 25-20 set win.

W?? END OF 3RD SET
The Mustangs take this one 25-20 and move into the lead in the match. Lael Harrison leads Western with 13 kills.

TMU l 1
WES l 2
?? stream the game LIVE on https://t.co/otXrD4PfAj#RunWithUs l #LetsGoMustangs l #TMUvsWES l pic.twitter.com/XdCiTeK94D

— Western Mustangs (@WesternMustangs) January 11, 2025

 
In the fourth set, Western took an early lead with strong performances from Gray and Stewart, who each contributed multiple kills. At 11-6, Ishida secured a service ace, prompting a timeout from the Bold. Despite a brief rally from the visitors, the Mustangs maintained momentum with Stewart and Gray continuing to find success, culminating in a service ace by Stewart to close the set with a 25-19 victory. This win brings the Mustangs to an impressive 11-1 on the season.

W?? FINAL
Claire Stewart delivers a service ace to finish the set (25-19) and gives the Mustangs a 3-1 victory.

Western is on the road next weekend to take on Trent. Watch the action on https://t.co/otXrD4PfAj. #RunWithUs l #LetsGoMustangs l #TMUvsWES l pic.twitter.com/NxVFNBQUhi

— Western Mustangs (@WesternMustangs) January 11, 2025

 
The Mustangs featured several standout players contributing significantly in various statistical categories. Lael Harrison leads in digs with 20 over four games, making her a key defensive player. Thea Ishida is a crucial playmaker with 57 assists, maintaining a perfect setting record with zero errors, and she also adds 17 digs to her performance. Rachel Gray shows strong offensive prowess, leading the team with 19 kills and a hitting percentage of .341, while also collecting 14 digs and scoring a total of 21 points. Lastly, Claire Stewart contributes across multiple areas, amassing 10 points with 7 kills and 2 service aces.

With the win Western moves into a tie for the OUA lead with Queen’s, both sides having played 12 games.

The Mustangs will be on the road next weekend when they make their way to Peterborough for a pair of matches starting Friday night (Jan. 17) for a 6pm start. Fans can watch the action on OUA.tv.