TORONTO, Ont. – On Wednesday night (Oct. 23) at York University's Alumni Field, the Guelph Gryphons men's soccer team saw their 2024 season officially come to an end, with the No. 7-ranked York Lions edging the Gryphons in a penalty shootout in an OUA quarterfinal matchup.
 
For a second consecutive playoff game, the Gryphons found themselves deadlocked in a scoreless affair for 120 minutes of action, meaning penalties would once again be required to find a winner. Unlike the result four days earlier, where the Gryphons came out on top of a penalty shootout at Laurier in the opening round of the playoffs, this time it would be the Gryphons on the wrong end of the spot kicks, with the York Lions converting all five of their penalties to escape with a 5-4 win.
 
With the result, the York Lions advance to the OUA semifinal stage and will host the TMU Bold, while the other OUA semifinal sees the McMaster Marauders hosting the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks.
 
Saturday's loss for the Gryphons also marked the final game as head coach for U of G's longtime head coach, Keith Mason, who retires from his head coaching role with the Gryphons after a decorated career spanning over 30 years. Keith Mason retires as a three-time OUA Coach of the Year (2023, 2021 & 2011), a former U SPORTS Coach of the Year (2011), while also having led the Gryphons to a pair of OUA titles (2021 & 2016) as well as a national bronze (2016).