LONDON – Back in December, a spot in the OUA playoffs was an improbable goal for the Guelph Gryphons women's volleyball team. Two months later, the surging Gryphons are a win away from the postseason. Guelph took a huge step towards a playoff berth with a massive 3-1 road victory over the powerful Western Mustangs. The Gryphons rebounded from dropping the first set to take the important match 25-27, 25-20, 25-18, and 25-21.
 
What's most telling is that in a do-or-die situation, Guelph (8-10) came up with its best performance of the season. A win against the Windsor Lancers on Sunday will mean the team, which began the season 1-8, is in the playoffs.
 
"That was the best we've played this year in terms of having a game plan and executing it," said head coach Paul Funk, proud of both the result and particularly the improvement of his players over the season. "Everything came together tonight. The girls did a great job of following the plan.

"I can't find better words than saying it was a scrappy, hard-fought win."

Second-year left side Michaela Hellinga (21), fourth-year middle blocker Libby Donevan (15), and rookie left side Hazel Atkins (13) combined for 49 of Guelph's 63 kills. Senior Jessica Gormley had four blocks, while second-year setter Alex Curran racked up 50 assists. Atkins and Hellinga were excellent defensively, as well, registering 22 and 20 digs respectively.

 
The Gryphons had just 16 errors in the four-setter.
 
Up 2-1 in sets, Guelph was sharp in the fourth, manufacturing a few mini runs that kept Western at bay. Gormley had a kill to make it 18-14 for the Gryphons, and Donevan put one away for a 24-21 lead. Atkins ended the match with a service ace, securing arguably the biggest win of the season.
 
The Gryphons were in a battle in the first set and had a great opportunity to take a 1-0 lead. Down 24-22, they rattled off three straight points from a service ace and two Hellinga kills to go up 25-24. But Western went on its own 3-0 run, with the hosts claiming the first set on a Carly Kimmet kill.
 
Guelph wasn't phased and jumped out to leads of 8-2 and 11-3 in the second. While the Mustangs got close at 21-20, the Gryphons closed out the set with four straight points, the decisive moment coming on a block from Donevan and Jessica Chung to tie the match 1-1. The level of play was high on both sides as one particular point took about a minute, as both sides dove all over the floor to dig huge kill attempts.
 
Guelph kept the momentum going in the third, starting the set with a 3-0 run before winning four straight points with the score tied 12-12 to seize control. Atkins would eventually end the set with a kill that put the visitors up 2-1.

"Western made about three or four plays down the stretch to steal that first set," said Funk. "But we responded well."

That resiliency has been one of Guelph's greatest attributes since 2018 began. After the rough 1-8 start, the team has won seven of the last nine since resuming the OUA schedule in January. Funk said that they talked during the break and changed the focus to simplifying their play and force opponents into mistakes. That switch, along with the emergence of several players, has spurred the great run.

Funk highlighted the return of Donevan from a foot injury, the improved passing of the rookie Atkins, and the incredible work put in by fifth-year libero Kayla McMullen as some of the keys to the turnaround. And the Gryphons are now just a win away from an unlikely but deserved playoff berth.

"At Christmas, it was just a hope and a prayer that we could get in," Funk said, praising his players for their fight. "It hasn't been just one thing. On an individual level, these kids have really gotten better."

Guelph will play its final match of the OUA regular season Sunday on the road against the Lancers. The action begins at 1 pm.