WINDSOR – There wasn't anything more on the line than pride. The Guelph Gryphons men's volleyball team played with purpose and grit to close its 2017/18 OUA season out with a tough, five-set win (25-17, 17-25, 25-17, 22-25, 15-9) over the playoff-bound Windsor Lancers Sunday afternoon at the St. Denis Centre.
 
Guelph (8-9) was already eliminated from postseason contention but the 2017 OUA bronze medalists made it a priority to finish the season strong.
 
"We told the guys that we're here to win," said head coach Cal Wigston. "It's not just for fun. They were focused and dialed in. They knew it was the last game of the season but they wanted to win."
 
Zachary Newman paced the Gryphons with 14 kills, while Matthew Baxter added 12, to go with 3 aces and 3 blocks. Second-year setter Daiken Edwards had 31 assists. The Gryphons hit .189 on the day and after a rough second-set in which they committed 9 errors, the visitors cleaned things up and had just 13 in the final three sets.
 
Wigston was looking for some scoring from the left side lately and moved the fourth-year Newman over there, giving Baxter, a second-year player, the opportunity to shine on the right. It's been a good change for the Gryphons and could be a sign of what's to come next season.
 
"Zach has done such a good job playing out of position," the coach said, acknowledging Newman's deft passing, an important requirement for left side hitters. "And Matt is becoming more of a presence. He's really still learning how to play but he has such a thirst for knowledge."
 
Guelph got off to a great start in the first set before Windsor took the second to tie the match 1-1.
 
"We came out of the gates flying," said Wigston. "The boys did a phenomenal job. We served aggressively and made life difficult for them."

The Gryphons regained the lead after a strong third set but the hosts responded again, sending it to a decisive fifth. The motivated Guelph squad built leads of
4-0, 9-3 and 13-6 before rookie Zarko Ubiparip came up with a huge kill to make it 14-8. The match ended when Samuel Kloke set up Kendrick Kerr for the final kill of the afternoon, and the season.
 
Wigston had plenty of praise for Ubiparip, who flashed power and efficiency when called upon, racking up 7 kills. He's a player to be excited about.
 
"That will be our lineup of the future," Wigston said, noting the loss of seniors Joshua Green, Kaj Wigston and David Duhan will be felt. "We'll be in a good place next year."
 
Wigston said the he and the team lament two particular home losses – a five-setter to Windsor back in October and another five-setter to Brock last month – that he felt derailed the Gryphons' playoff hopes. The coach was admittedly bitter about competing for the last time this year despite beating a good Windsor team.
 
"I'm not ready for the season to be over," Wigston said. "We still want to be playing. The guys are still hungry and in good shape.
 
"They all had smiles at the end. I'm proud of them."