GUELPH, Ont. - The No. 2-ranked Guelph Gryphons women's rugby team defeated the previously undefeated No. 5-ranked Western Mustangs, 41-17, on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 3) at the University of Guelph's Alumni Stadium. In a matchup between a pair of 4-0 teams in the OUA, the Gryphons would be the ones who came out in front to remain undefeated at 5-0, while handing the Mustangs their first loss of the season.
The Gryphons got out to a fast start scoring two tries in the opening 9 minutes of the match with Addy Holmes scoring in the 6th minute before
Halle Woodcock's try three minutes later made it 12-0 Guelph. After the Mustangs scored a try in the 18th minute, the Gryphons responded with a try from
Candace Kelly in the 24th minute before
Ella Sager's try in the 35th extended the Guelph lead to 24-5. The Mustangs were able to remain in striking distance, trailing 29-17 until the 70th minute, but that is when the Gryphons would seal the win, with
Clara Jackson scoring an important try for Guelph to extend the lead back to 19 before Addy Holmes' 3rd try of the match, six minutes later, capped the 41-17 victory for the Gryphons.
With the win, the Gryphons maintain their perfect regular season with a 5-0 record as they move one step closer to clinching the top seed for the OUA Playoffs, a bye into the semifinals and home field advantage throughout the postseason. With a win next Friday night (Oct. 9) against the York Lions in Toronto, the Gryphons will have homefield throughout the postseason. The Mustangs drop to 4-1 on the season and will now host the Queen's Gaels (4-1) next Saturday (Oct. 10) with the winner earning a bye into the OUA semifinals as the 2026 OUA regular season wraps up next weekend.
