LONDON, ON – Friday night at Alumni Hall on the campus of Western University, the Gryphons men's volleyball team lost 3-1 to the Mustangs. Set scores were 27-25, 25-27, 14-25 & 23-25. With the loss, the Gryphons fall to 6-8 on the season while Western improves to 11-2.
 
The Mustangs came into the game riding a six match win streak but the Gryphons were more than up to the task of taking on one of the hottest teams in the league. The Gryphons played some excellent, attacking volleyball early on led by two-time OUA All-Star Maddie Dedecker. With Dedecker leading the way, the Gryphons were able to take the opening set 27-25. Dedecker finished the night with a team-high 16 points.
 
With the second set tied at 7-7, Western would reel off five straight points to take a 12-7 lead. The Gryphons showed great character to fight back and actually took at 25-24 lead in the set after a kill by Becky Breau. However, the Mustangs would go on to take the next three points and the set 25-27.
 
A disappointing third set saw the Mustangs run away with a 14-25 score. Needing to force a fifth set to extend the match, the Gryphons once again mounted a comeback. This time trailing 13-18, the Gryphons fought back to even the set at 23-23, only to see the Mustangs seal the deal with back-to-back points to take the set 23-25 and the match 3-1.
 
Kristen Almjhell led the team with 16 digs followed by Cayte Wilson's 14 digs in what was an impressive night on the defensive end from the Gryphons with several spectacular plays to extend rallies. Aside from Dedecker's 16 points, there were two other Gryphons in double digits for scoring in Breau (13.5) and Victoria Globebiowski (10.5).
 
The Gryphons will be right back in action again on Saturday night in Windsor when they take on the Lancers (7-5) at 6pm. It is a match that carries with it huge playoff implications as the Lancers sit 3^rd in the OUA West, just two points ahead of the Gryphons.