Hamilton, Ont. — McMaster hosted its Shoot for the Cure and Employee Appreciation Night this past weekend, where the women and men split against the York Lions. Twas’ a quieter week across the OUA has only the Volleyball teams and Track team competed this weekend
Women’s Basketball
January 30 – W: 70-50 vs York | Box Score
January 31 – W: 86-72 vs Brock | Box Score
Men’s Basketball
January 30 – L: 83-96 vs York | Box Score
January 31 – L: 71-86 vs Brock | Box Score
Women’s Volleyball
January 30 – L: 0-3 (23-25, 15-25, 16-25) vs Queen’s | Box Score
January 31 – L: 0-3 (24-26, 24-26, 21-25) vs Queen’s | Box Score
Men’s Volleyball
January 30 – L: 0-3 (19-25, 16-25, 17-25) @ Queen’s | Box Score
January 31 – L: 2-3 (25-21, 23-25, 13-25, 20-25, 10-15) @ Queen’s | Box Score
Track
January 31 – York Open, Toronto, Ont. | Results
____________________________________________________________________________
Women’s Basketball
January 30 – W: 70-50 vs York | Box Score
The McMaster Marauders came out strong and never looked back, rolling to a convincing 70–50 win over the York Lions on Friday night in Burridge Gymnasium.
McMaster set the tone early with Emily Frankovic (Thornhill, Ont.) opening the scoring, followed by aggressive drives from Carly McBain (Guelph, Ont.) and Grace Ammendolia (Hamilton, Ont.) to build an early cushion. Strong rebounding from Tayler Scott (Burlington, Ont.) and finishes from A’mya Rawlins-Thomas (Ajax, Ont.) helped the Marauders control the pace, closing the first quarter ahead 16–13. The momentum carried into the second, as Frankovic and Scott scored off second chances before McBain knocked down a three to push McMaster into double digits heading into halftime.
The Marauders blew the game open in the third quarter. Scott scored back-to-back buckets to start the half, while the defence forced turnovers that turned into quick points, highlighted by two threes from Sophia Urosevic (Kitchener, Ont.) off steals. Rawlins-Thomas continued to attack the paint as McMaster extended its lead. In the fourth, the Marauders stayed in control, with Ammendolia and Urosevic adding timely threes to widen the gap. McMaster closed out the game with confidence, securing the 20-point victory at 70–50.
January 31 – W: 86-72 vs Brock | Box Score
The McMaster Marauders (6-13) closed out the weekend on a high note, defeating the Brock Badgers (11-7) 86-72 on Saturday evening at Brock’s eighth annual Paint the Meridian Red game.
McMaster generated early momentum in the opening quarter, with Sophia Urosevic (Kitchener, Ont.) knocking down a jumper to give the Marauders the early edge. Emily Frankovic (Thornhill, Ont.) and Carly McBain (Guelph, Ont.) followed with key baskets from beyond the arc as McMaster built a 26-23 lead.
Izzy Moro (Hamilton, Ont.) opened the scoring in the second quarter as the Marauders continued to apply pressure, stretching their advantage to nine points. Grace Ammendolia (Hamilton, Ont.) and McBain each connected on three-pointers in the frame, sending McMaster into halftime with a 47-38 lead.
Brock pushed back in the third quarter, challenging the McMaster defence, but the Marauders held firm. Ammendolia and McBain continued to find success from long range, allowing McMaster to maintain control heading into the final quarter.
The Marauders remained steady in the fourth quarter, with Urosevic adding another three-pointer as McMaster shot 45.5 per cent from the field. The Marauders closed out the contest to secure the 86-70 victory over the Badgers.
Carly McBain locks in on defence against the Badgers (photo by Jay Barlett)
Men’s Basketball
January 30 – L: 83-96 vs York | Box Score
The McMaster Marauders came out with energy but fell 96–83 to the York Lions after a hard-fought battle at Burridge Gym.
McMaster opened the game on the front foot, with James Kelly (Toronto, Ont.) scoring off a rebound and Tyler Garcia (Mississauga, Ont.) knocking down a corner three to set the tone. Riaz Saliu (Oshawa, Ont.) powered through traffic for an and-one and followed it up with a big block on the defensive end. The Marauders continued to attack, with Ares Culley-Bremner (Hamilton, Ont.) finishing inside and setting up Saliu for a dunk before Riley Bleich (Fonthill, Ont.) tipped in another basket to close the first quarter ahead 24–17.
The Marauders carried momentum into the second, as Bleich opened with a three, and Jack McMahan (Burlington, Ont.) came up with a strong block to keep York at bay. Kelly and Garcia added key buckets, while Jeremiah Francis (Surrey, B.C.) contributed both from beyond the arc and with a smooth finish late in the quarter. An and-one from Bleich capped off a strong half for McMaster, who entered the break leading 53–38.
York responded in the third, cutting into the lead despite early threes from Garcia and Kelly. The Lions closed the gap late in the quarter and took control heading into the fourth.
McMaster continued to battle in the final frame, with Saliu finishing through contact, Bleich converting off a full-court assist, and Culley-Bremner repeatedly attacking the paint. Garcia turned a late steal into points, but York held on down the stretch, handing the Marauders a 96–83 loss despite McMaster’s strong start and sustained effort.
January 31 – L: 71-86 vs Brock | Box Score
The McMaster Marauders (2-17) battled the Brock Badgers (14-2) to the final buzzer but came up short in an 89-71 loss Saturday evening at the annual Paint the Meridian Red game, hosted by the Badgers.
The opening quarter featured back-and-forth play, with both teams trading baskets early. A three-pointer from James Kelly (Toronto, Ont.) helped keep McMaster sharp within striking distance as the pace stayed even through the frame.
McMaster tightened up defensively in the second quarter, registering key blocks to slow Brock’s momentum. Jeremiah Francis (Surrey, B.C.) connected on a three-pointer, but the Marauders trailed 44-29 heading into halftime.
Francis opened the scoring in the third quarter with a layup, followed by a three-pointer from Tyler Garcia (Mississauga, Ont.). The Marauders continued to apply pressure with additional 3-pointers from Riaz Saliu (Oshawa, Ont.) and Garcia, while Riley Bleich (Fonthill, Ont.) added a dunk as McMaster closed the gap to 61-53 at the end of the quarter.
McMaster made a late push in the fourth quarter, with Francis and Isaiah Flores (Whitby, Ont.) knocking down shots from beyond the arc. Despite the surge, Brock held on to secure the 89-71 win.
Tyler Garcia attacks rim vs. Badgers (photo by Jay Barlett)
Women’s Volleyball
January 30 – L: 0-3 (23-25, 15-25, 16-25) @ Queen’s | Box Score
The McMaster women’s volleyball team was swept by Queen’s on Friday night in Kingston, falling 25-23, 25-15, 25-16 in a tightly contested OUA matchup.
The Marauders came out strong in the opening set, trading points throughout and pushing the Gaels to the limit. Olivia Julien (Toronto, Ont.) paced McMaster’s offence with a match-high 16 kills, while Maddy Lutes (Barrie, Ont.) added eight as the visitors stayed within striking distance late. Queen’s, however, capitalized on key points down the stretch to escape with the narrow first-set win.
Momentum shifted in the second and third sets as the Gaels found their rhythm offensively, using efficient hitting and pressure from the service line to build early leads. McMaster continued to compete, with Charlie Dean recording 35 assists and the defence digging in during several extended rallies, but Queen’s depth and consistency ultimately proved difficult to contain over the final two sets.
January 31 – L: 0-3 (24-26, 24-26, 21-25) @ Queen’s | Box Score
McMaster pushed Queen’s in every set but ultimately fell in a tight three-set battle on Saturday afternoon, dropping a 24-26, 24-26, 21-25 decision at the ARC.
The Marauders were strong out of the gate, leading late in the opening set before Queen’s closed with a late run to narrowly take the frame. Set two mirrored the opener, with long rallies and momentum swings on both sides as McMaster stayed locked in until the final points. Trailing two sets to none, the Marauders continued to fight in the third, cutting into the deficit late before the Gaels sealed the match.
Olivia Julien (Toronto, Ont.) led McMaster offensively with 10 kills, while Maddy Lutes (Barrie, Ont.) added nine points and made an impact at the net and from the service line. McMaster’s defensive effort kept the pressure on Queen’s throughout, and the Marauders will look to carry that competitive level forward as they continue OUA play.
Olivia Julien goes up for attack aginst Queen’s (photo by Hector Perez)
Men’s Volleyball
January 30 – L: 0-3 (19-25, 16-25, 17-25) @ Queen’s | Box Score
McMaster men’s volleyball faced a tough test on the road Friday night, falling in straight sets (25-19, 25-16, 25-17) to Queen’s at the ARC.
The Marauders showed early fight in the opening set, trading points through the first half before the Gaels pulled away late. Kaden Zunti (Burlington, Ont.) and Grayson Jarrett (Camrose, Alta.) helped spark the McMaster offence, while Michael Rendulic (Stoney Creek, Ont.) added timely pressure from the service line. Despite stretches of strong defensive play and long rallies, Queen’s capitalized on key moments to take control.
Set two saw McMaster continue to battle, highlighted by solid work at the net and consistent ball control, but the Gaels’ efficiency proved decisive. In the third set, the Marauders stayed competitive early and pushed the pace, yet Queen’s depth and rhythm ultimately sealed the match.
January 31 – L: 2-3 (25-21, 23-25, 13-25, 20-25, 10-15) @ Queen’s | Box Score
The McMaster Marauders pushed one of the OUA’s top teams to the limit on Saturday night but came up just short in a five-set battle against Queen’s at the ARC Main Gym.
McMaster jumped out strong, taking the opening two sets 25-21 and 25-23 behind balanced offence and steady ball control. Mekhi Fitzgerald (Milton, Ont.) and Kaden Zunti (Burlington, Ont.) led the way at the pins, while Jason Heidbuurt (Hamilton, Ont) orchestrated the attack with 29 assists as the Marauders dictated tempo early. Queen’s responded in the middle frames, using an efficient third-set attack and late momentum to claim sets three and four.
The decisive fifth set was tightly contested, but Queen’s capitalized on key points down the stretch to secure a 15-10 win. Fitzgerald finished with a team-high 14 kills, while Zunti added 13 and Derick Breukelman chipped in seven. McMaster also totaled 48 digs in a resilient defensive effort, showing growth and fight against a nationally ranked opponent
Mekhi Fitzgerald with the kill against the Queen’s Gaels (photo by Hector Perez)
Track
January 31 – York Open, Toronto, Ont. | Results
The Marauders put together a strong performance this weekend at the York Open indoor track meet in Toronto. Opening the day for the Marauders, Florina Keller (Hamilton, Ont.) took 5th in the women’s 600m in a time of 1:36.73 while Tristan Bouius (Hanover, Ont.) took 5th in the men’s race in 1:23.26.
The McMaster women secured two podium spots in the 1000m event with Olivia MacAskill (Kanata, Ont.) placing first in an excellent time of 2:49.84 and Ella Madsen (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) joining her on the podium with a third-place finish in a time of 2:56.34.
In a very close finish in the 1500m event, the Marauder women again placed two on the podium with Sophie Trott (Ottawa, Ont.) in second with a time of 4:41.52, and Emma Elliott (Guelph, Ont.) placing third in 4:42.05. Kara Tichbourne (Meaford, Ont.) placed sixth in 4:44.80 with the Marauders placing five runners in the top 10 in the event.
The men’s team also performed well in this event and took home three of the top six spots, led by Isak Fransson (Hamilton, Ont.), taking first in 4:01.28, Derek Strachan (Ottawa, Ont.) in third in a time of 4:02.64, and Alexander Megas (Toronto, Ont.) finishing sixth at 4:04.41.
Top McMaster finishers:
Men’s 600m OPEN: Tristan Bouius, 5th
Men’s 1000m OPEN: Dawson Rekker, 15th
Men’s 1500m OPEN: Isak Fransson, 1st
Men’s 3000m OPEN: Christian Lebar, 5th
Women’s 600m OPEN: Florina Keller, 5th
Women’s 1000m OPEN: Olivia MacAskill, 1st
Women’s 1500m OPEN: Sophie Trott, 2nd
____________________________________________________________________________
Upcoming Events (Feb 2 – Feb 8)
Feb 4
6:00 PM: Women’s Basketball vs Laurier | Tickets
8:00 PM: Men’s Basketball vs Laurier | Tickets
Feb 5
6:00 PM: Women’s Volleyball @ Windsor
6:00 PM: Women’s Basketball @ Algoma
8:00 PM: Men’s Volleyball @ Windsor
8:00 PM: Men’s Basketball @ Algoma
OUA Squash Championships, St. Catherines, Ont.
OUA Curling Championships, Welland, Ont.
Nordic Easterns (OCUP #4), Gatineau, Que.
Track vs Windsor Team Challenge, Windsor, Ont.
Feb 6
6:00 PM: Women’s Volleyball @ Windsor
6:00 PM: Women’s Basketball @ Algoma | Tickets
8:00 PM: Men’s Volleyball @ Windsor
8:00 PM: Men’s Basketball @ Algoma | Tickets
OUA Wrestling Championships, London, Ont.
OUA Squash Championships, St. Catherines, Ont.
OUA Curling Championships, Welland, Ont.
Nordic Easterns (OCUP #4), Gatineau, Que.
Track vs Windsor Team Challenge, Windsor, Ont.
Feb 7
OUA Squash Championships, St. Catherines, Ont.
OUA Curling Championships, Welland, Ont.
Nordic Easterns (OCUP #4), Gatineau, Que.
Want Marauder Minute updates delivered to your email inbox each week? Fill out this form.