Box Score The Waterloo men's volleyball team dropped their first game of the season falling to the Western Mustangs in a 5-set thriller.  Waterloo held a 2-1 lead but could not close out the Mustangs in the final two sets to drop to 2-1 on the season. 

The Warriors took an early lead in the first set, but thanks to Waterloo service errors the Mustangs were able to pull away to a three-point advantage at 13-10, forcing the Warriors to call their first timeout of the match. Although the Mustangs extended their lead to five points, causing Waterloo to call their second timeout, the Warriors were able to side-out after the break and eventually gain momentum to take a 19-16 lead. Waterloo would not let up for the rest of the set as they were first to 25 with a score of 25-21.
 
In the second set Western took an early lead as they were first to five and 10 before Waterloo called their third and final timeout of the set at 19-13. The Mustangs lead was cut to just two points after Waterloo scored five unanswered points, forcing the purple and white to call their first timeout of the match at 20-18. Despite a strong Waterloo push, the Mustangs would not let the Warriors back into the game as they took the second set 25-21.
 
Although the third set once again saw the Mustangs start strong and maintain the advantage throughout the majority of the set the Warriors went on a late run to tie the game 20-20. The teams would go point for point with Western twice taking the game-point advantage at 24-23 and 26-25 until a strong offensive burst and a questionable line call allowed Waterloo to close out the set 28-26.   
 
In the fourth set both teams fought to take more than a two-point lead as the two squads traded points. Although Western managed to take a 23-20 advantage, the Warriors continued to push and a three-point Waterloo run tied the game 23-23. Both teams continued to fight for every point until a perfectly executed Western service reception gave Phil James the kill and the Mustangs the game-point advantage at 28-27. This time they would not allow the Warriors to respond as they took the next point and the set 29-27 to tie the match and force a fifth and final set.
 
The Mustangs dominated the final set, leading 8-2 as the teams' switched sides at the halfway mark and never letting up as they took the set 15-8 and match 3-2.

Aleks Poldma (Toronto/Warriors) had a stellar game for the black and gold on the left side tallying 15 kills and four blocks in the match.  He also added two service aces in the match.  Up the middle Jordan Dyck (St. Catharines/) put down 11 smashes and was a wall at the net with six blocks while teammate Tyler Motherwell (Toronto/Warriors) had five of his own.  Setter Scott Thomson (St. Marys/) finished the contest with 46 assists and seven digs.

The Warriors will finish off their four game road trip at Windsor tonight before returning to Waterloo for their home opener against Guelph next Saturday at the PAC.  Game time is set for 2pm.