GUELPH, Ont. - For nearly three hours Saturday night, the Guelph Gryphons and the Brock Badgers treated the large crowd at the GGAC to one of the best matches of the 2019-20 season. With both teams trying to solidify their positions in a crowded OUA West division, the two teams traded momentum switch after momentum switch until the Gryphons ultimately fell 3-2 (25-20, 24-26, 25-16, 25-27, 13-15) to the visitors from St. Catharines.
Giving the No. 7-nationally ranked team all they could handle throughout the entire match, the Gryphons left absolutely everything they had on the court but in the end came up shy by the closest of margins.
In the opening set, it was the home side quickly establishing control. With the set tied 6-6, Guelph was able to go on a five point run and open up the first bit of breathing room of the contest. From that point on, the Gryphons would not allow Brock to get any closer than three points as Guelph went on to take the set 25-20.
As the second set got underway, the Gryphons were initially able to carry over the momentum of their first set victory. Jumping out to an early 7-3 lead, the Gryphons had the home faithful buzzing all throughout the GGAC. However, despite being on the road and in a tough environment, the Badgers showed exactly why they are a top ten team in the country. Battling back within the blink of an eye, the Badgers were able to give themselves a 14-12 lead as the set progressed. From there on, barely anything separated the two sides. Tied at 15, neither team was able to build a lead larger than a single point. After Guelph was able to fight off Brock's first set point, they were unable to avoid the second one as the Badgers won the set 26-24.
Despite the tough finish to the previous set, the Gryphons quickly got right back in to their game plan and attacked hard at the net. Using powerful hits and big blocks, the Gryphons were able to put lots of pressure on the visitors. Turning an 11-9 lead into a 16-9 lead, Guelph created space between the two squads and then continued to pound away. Using three kills from Jessica Chung down the stretch, the Gryphons sealed a third set win 25-16.
Although the third set may have been a bit more one-sided than the match would have anticipated, as soon as the fourth set rolled around, everything was right back to being tense point followed by tense point. All throughout the set, just three points served as the biggest lead that either side was able to create. With Brock up 22-19, the three point lead proved irrelevant. Scoring five of the next six points, the Gryphons were able to go up 24-23 but the Badgers were able to fight off the match point and in the end take the set 27-25.
In what seemed like the only fitting end for what had been an incredible match, the Gryphons and Badgers prepared themselves for a fifth and deciding set. As they had been able to for much of the match, the Gryphons were able to jump out in front off the hop. Going up 9-3, the home team had the home crowd rolling. However, to the Badgers credit they continued to do what they had done for much of the night, that being continuing to fight back. Brock was able to secure seven straight points, take a 10-9 lead and set the match up for an incredible finish. With both sides refusing to give in, the final set remained a one point difference the rest of the way. That was until the Badgers were able to take the match clinching point, while up 14-13.
Looking to bounce back from the loss, the Gryphons will resume their OUA regular season schedule on Valentine's Day when they head to Kingston to take on the RMC Paladins. The Gryphons will then finish out their regular season with road matches against the Queen's Gaels and Waterloo Warriors.
