FEMALE: Alicya Allen (Goalkeeper, Women’s Field Hockey / First Year / Kinesiology / Point Edward, Ont.)

With two shutouts in three games over the weekend, this rookie netminder was sensational helping Western to improve to 3-4-2 on the season. Allen shutout Carleton and McGill over the weekend in a pair of 4-0 wins before holding powerhouse Queen’s to just three goals in Western’s 3-0 loss to the Gaels. In just her first year, the provincial-team player has made an immediate impact with the Mustangs.

Baseball -
Mustangs win opening game over Golden Hawks in OUA semi-final

Western gets complete game, five-strikeout performance from ace Sean Grimes in dominating win at Labatt Park

By Andy Watson

LONODN, Ont. - Sean Grimes struck out five batters and only surrendered two runs on six hits in a complete game performance to lead the Western Mustangs to a convincing 7-2 victory over the Laurier Golden Hawks in Game 1 of the OUA Semi-Final on Oct. 12 at Labatt Park.

Western travels to play at Laurier's Betchel Park on Oct. 13 at 1 p.m. leading the best-of-three series 1-0. A win would advance Western to the OUA Championship where Western would look to defend its OUA crown for the third straight season against the winner of the Brock/McMaster semi-final.

"We tried really hard to start strong and get out on top early," said Mustangs captain and catcher Ben Rich. "It was business as usual for Grimes and we really are happy with the win."

Western opened the scoring in the opening inning after one of Grimes' four three-and-outs against Laurier, scoring a pair of runs on a Conrad Bach RBI single that scored Bruce Craine (who advanced to second after a stolen base) and Matt Bekar.

Then Grimes got some added insurance hitting a two-out single that started a Mustang swing that brought in three runs to give Western the 4-0 lead, with third baseman Andrew Salmon driving in Rich and Grimes with the bases loaded. Bekar drew a bases-loaded walk off Laurier pitcher Time Lawrence to give Western the 5-0 lead after four innings.

Laurier's catcher Gary Money started the fifth with a two-out double and eventually scored when Jon Roth drove him home with a single to make it 5-1, but Grimes recovered and allowed just one final run in the ninth inning for the win.

Alex Carducci and Salmon scored after hitting singles in the sixth inning when Bekar drove them home to give Western the 7-1 edge with Golden Hawk Chris Pettaway scoring Laurier's final run in the ninth off a Curtis Young double.

Despite the dominating defensive effort, Rich said he and his Mustang teammates aren't taking the Laurier side for granted. They know they'll be hungry facing elimination on home soil on Oct. 13.

"We're not looking at this being an easy series at all," Rich said. "We look at each day as a new challenge and go in like we have our backs up against the wall. We know repeating is not going to be easy."

Rich said there is no added pressure being the two-time defending champion and knows a balanced Mustangs squad is capable of the feat.

"Our ball hitting was great tonight and we had a lot of our guys getting in hits. And we also have outstanding pitching. We have very balanced squad."

Men's Soccer

Al-Shaibani shuts the door to help Mustangs clinch second place in OUA West

With 8th and 9th shutouts of the season, Mustang netminder helps Western to win and tie

TORONTO and ST. CATHARINES, Ont. - The Western Mustangs improved to 8-1-3 with a win and a tie over the weekend.

Haidar Al-Shaibani and the Mustangs defence earned two shutouts with a 0-0 tie with Brock and a 2-0 win over first-place York. On Oct. 14 at York Stadium, Scott Cameron on a diving header and Michael Daoust scored second-half goals to give Western the victory. "We handled York's pressure in the first 15 minutes and just held them back," said head coach Rock Basacco. "Haidar was great in helping to keep the game scoreless, it gave us the momentum we needed to come out and win in the second half." Western hosts Waterloo and Laurier on Oct. 20 and 21 respectively at Brescia Fields. Both games kickoff at 3:15 p.m.
 

Men's Hockey

Mustangs split pair of weekend games

Western ends weekend in fine fashion with 5-0 shutout over Laurier

KITCHENER-WATERLOO, Ont. - The Western Mustangs recovered from a 3-1 loss to Waterloo on Friday Oct. 12 to defeat the Laurier Golden Hawks 5-0 on Oct. 14.On Oct. 12, Western's Ryan Hare took a pass from Sal Peralta just under a minute into the game to give Western the 1-0 lead. Warrior forward and captain Kevin Hurley tied the game just under three minutes later and then Waterloo scored a pair of short-handed goals in the third period from Cory Fraser and David Edgeworth to earn the victory. Shane Hart had two assists for Waterloo. Brad Topping earned the loss in Western's net.

But Western rebounded in the city of Oktoberfest, winning 5-0 on Oct. 14 over the Laurier Golden Hawks.

Keyvan Hunt earned the shutout in his first win as a Mustang making 25 saves.

Laurier netminder Mike Thomson got pulled after allowing his fifth goal midway through the third period.

Western had two goals from Kevin Richardson, and singles from Kyle Piwowarczyk, Peter Franchin and Sean Courtney.

Ryan Waldner had a pair of assists.

Western hosts Laurier again in their home opener on Thursday Oct. 18 at 7 p.m.

Football

Mustangs one win away from playoffs

Western must win at Waterloo on national TV to clinch post-season berth

LONDON, Ont. - The Western Mustangs received a two touchdown performance from Randy McAuley to hand the Toronto Varsity Blues their 48th straight loss, giving the 0-7 Blues the record for the longest futlity streak in CIS history.

McAuley caught four passes for 70 yards and ran the ball 13 times for 70 yards and two touchdowns to pace the Mustangs, despite sitting out the fourth quarter with the game well in hand.

Derek Schiavone (Port Colborne, Ont.) booted four field goals for Western, while Nick Kordic (Toronto, Ont.) intecepted a David Hamilton pass for an 85-yard defensive touchdown.

Mustangs quarterback Michael Faulds (Eden Mills, Ont.) ran in for a touchdown himself and was 19/29 for 292 yards, utilizing a number of different receivers on the day, including McAuley as a popular target on screen passes.

Hamilton finished 11/25 passing for 166 yards with two inteceptions.

Western (3-4) will travel to play at Waterloo (3-4) next Saturday Oct. 20 at 1 p.m. - the game can be seen live on the Score. The winner will qualify for the post-season as the sixth-place team.

SIDEBAR - ANDY FANTUZ

HAMILTON, Ont. - After earning Canadian player of the week honours last month, former Mustang receiver Andy Fantuz caught three touchdown passes and earned 240 receiving yards in Saskatchewan's 40-23 win over Hamilton on Oct. 14.

Fantuz caught three majors from quarterback Kerry Joseph from 36, 73 and 27 yards for a career day in the pros.