GUELPH, ON. – Sunday afternoon at Varstiy Field, the Gryphons men's rugby team won 18-12 over the four-time defending OUA champion Queen's Gaels.

The Gryphons and Gaels have gone head-to-head in each of the past two OUA championship matches. Although Sunday's match marked just the second game of the regular season, there was a playoff-like feel throughout.

The first half was a tight, defensive struggle both sides finding little room to creat much offensively. After the Gaels jumped out to a 5-0 lead on a try from Kainoa Lloyd the Gryphons would respond with Mario Van Der Westhuizen splitting the uprights on a pair of penalties to give Guelph a slim 6-5 lead at the half.

In the second half, veteran flanker Eric Charest-Pekeski (Barrie, ON) would score the Gryphons first try of the afternoon to extend the lead to 11-5.

The turning point of the match would come shortly after the Charest-Pekeski score.

With the Gaels on the move and deep in Guelph territory, the Gryphons would come up with several crucial stops at the goal line. That good defence would translate into good offence with fifth year winger Adam Maahs (Port Perry, ON) ripping off a long run for a try to essential seal the win for the Gryphons. Van Der Westhuizen was good on the convert as the Gryphons would go on to win it 18-12.

After the match, Gryphons first year head coach Cory Hector pointed to the goal line stand as the key momentum shift in the game, "If they score there, it's all of a sudden a one-point game. So being able to not only make that stop, but then come down the field and score like that...it was a huge swing."

With the win, the Gryphons move to 2-0 on the season and will next be in action on Saturday, Sept. 17 when they travel to St. Catharines to face Brock.

Guelph Scoring Leaders:
Mario Van Der Westhuizen – 8 points
Adam Maahs – 5 points
Eric Charest-Pekeski – 5 points

Queen's Scoring Leaders:
Keinoa Lloyd – 5 points
Michael Douros – 5 points