PREVIEW: MARAUDERS WELCOME GRYPHONS IN CELEBRATION OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH

The McMaster Marauders men’s and women’s volleyball teams are gearing up to welcome the Guelph Gryphons on Feb. 25 in honour of Black History Month.

These games will highlight local Black-owned businesses and resources for Black students, including the Black Student Athlete Council (BSAC), and the Black Students Association (BSA). In recognition of Black History Month, along with the land acknowledgement, the event will also feature an ancestoral acknowledgement.

The Friday night events will begin with the women’s match at 6pm, followed by the men’s at 8pm. Both teams have had successful seasons so far, with the women sitting at a 6-3 record and the No. 2 nationally ranked men’s team undefeated.

The women’s team is coming into Friday night’s match after a tough loss to the Waterloo Warriors that reached five sets, marking just their second loss at home on the season. The men also welcomed Waterloo in their last appearance on the court, sending the Warriors home after a sweep.

Details:
McMaster Marauders vs. Guelph Gryphons
Date: Feb. 25 @ 6pm & 8pm
Location: Burridge Gym

Women’s Volleyball
McMaster:
Record: 6-3
Standings: Second OUA West Division
Streak: Lost one

Guelph:
Record: 0-6
Standings: Sixth OUA West Division
Streak: Lost six

Men’s Volleyball
McMaster:
Record: 9-0
Standings: First OUA West Division
Streak: Won nine

Guelph:
Record: 2-7
Standings: Fifth OUA West Division
Streak: Lost two

History:
The McMaster women’s volleyball team has yet to play the Gryphons this season. Their last matchup took place just over two years ago on Feb. 7, 2020. The intense match was pushed to five sets, but unfortunately, the Marauders fell to Guelph after fighting hard on home territory.

The men, on the other hand, have faced the Gryphons once already this season. In just their second game regular season game, the Marauders travelled to Guelph to take on their opponents. After opening the year with a five-set win against the Windsor Lancers, McMaster began their multi-game undefeated streak with a 3-1 win against the Gryphons.

Players to Watch:

Women’s Volleyball

Hayley Brookes: Named as McMaster’s female Athlete of the Week, Brookes’ defense has helped push the Marauders to many of their victories this season. The libero recorded 39 digs and a 43% pass efficiency in her team’s last two matches.

Jessie Nairn: Dominating McMaster’s offence once again, the outside hitter racked up a game-high and career-high 20 kills in her last outing against the Warriors.

Men’s Volleyball

Brendan Mills: Though not usually a part of McMaster’s starting rotation, the first year outside hitter wowed the Warriors in his team’s last outing. He racked up an incredible 14 kills, three aces, and two blocks

Sam Cooper: The outside hitter has continued to showcase his impressive talent all season. In his last match against the Warriors, Cooper rocked six service aces at his opponents and recorded nine kills.