HAMILTON, Ont. — The McMaster Marauders (7-9) were back in Burridge Gymnasium on Friday evening to face the York Lions (10-4).
Jared Kuiken (London, Ont.) gave the Marauders a strong start with multiple kills and a service ace, keeping the score close at 4-4. Seth O’Brien (Kingston, Ont.) added three service aces, two of which came back-to-back, giving the Marauders a competitive edge and helping them win the set 25-22.
Maxime Gratton (Ottawa, Ont.) earned the first point of the second set, giving McMaster the early lead. Impressive kills by O’Brien and Gratton kept the score close, but the Lions maintained their advantage and took the set 25-17.
McMaster again took the first point of the third set to get things going. A service ace from Gratton extended the Marauders’ lead, followed by a kill. A big block and another kill from Kuiken helped McMaster win the set 25-22.
The fourth set followed a familiar pattern, with McMaster taking the first point. The rallies kept everyone on the edge of their seats until a strong kill from O’Brien put the Marauders ahead. A kill by Jack Mackley (Toronto, Ont.) set up the set point, which McMaster then converted to win the set 25-16. The Marauders finished the match with a 3-1 victory.
On Saturday, the Marauders were back in action, facing the Lions. It was a back-and-forth start to the first set, keeping McMaster on their toes. O’Brien, Gratton, and Kaden Zunti (Burlington, Ont.) consistently made strong kills to stay close to the Lions. However, York pulled through to win the set 25-19.
In the second set, the Lions continued to take the lead, making it difficult for the Marauders to close the gap. A service ace from Gratton brought the score to 21-12, but McMaster was unable to catch up. York took the set 25-15.
The third set was close early on, with the Marauders making significant blocks and powerful kills. McMaster applied pressure on the Lions, extending their lead. Zunti added a service ace, and after an exciting rally, Ashton Fox-Kristensen (Elora, Ont.) finished it off with a kill to make the score 23-21. The Marauders won the set 25-22.
O’Brien got McMaster going in the fourth set, giving them the lead over York. The score remained close throughout, with strong plays from both teams. O’Brien made a service ace to win the set 25-18 for the Marauders.
In the final set, York came back strong, trying to reclaim the lead. The Marauders fought to keep the Lions from taking the win, but York held on to win the set 15-8, securing the victory.
Up Next: The Marauders will return to Burridge Gymnasium on February 7 and 8 to face the Queen’s Gaels.
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