The Marauders defeated the Gaels at home on Friday night in a challenging five set game.
Leading the attack for the Marauders was Sullie Sundara (Kanata, Ont.) with a staggering 21 kills, three service aces and 10 digs. Also contributing to the offense was Maddy Lutes (Barrie, Ont.) with nine kills and Paige Entwistle (Jerseyville, Ont.) with eight kills. Christina Stratford (Burlington, Ont.) had a strong performance with 23 assists, one kill and nine digs. On defense, Hayley Brookes (Burlington, Ont.) was consistent with 13 digs and displayed strong overall athleticism on the court.
The Marauders started out strong on their home court, quickly picking up the first five points of the game. An early service ace from Stratford thrilled the Marauder bench, as they rolled with the momentum. Despite struggling at the start, the Gaels were able to gain back some points while the Marauders remained composed. On offense, Sundara led the team with five kills and Stratford supported with eight assists. At the end of the set, Lutes had some impressive defensive plays, as the team displayed their all-around athleticism. The Marauders were able to carry a lead through the entire set to win 25-16.
The second set was a closer match, as Queen’s appeared to have a newfound motivation. The Marauders struggled to generate points while the Gaels stole away with the lead. The home team did their best to generate offense, with Sundara leading with four kills and Christine Hachokake (Ottawa, Ont.) with three. Maintaining composure, McMaster fought to narrow the point differential, but the Gaels still beat them to the set point. Late in the set, Sundara made an impressive service ace, but the Marauders still couldn’t close the gap and fell 25-19.
McMaster struggled at the start of the third set, allowing the Gaels three unanswered points before scoring their first. Sundara continued to be a consistent offensive threat, with a service ace early in the set and six kills. Queen’s was looking comfortable in the Burridge as the Marauders struggled to find their rhythm. The Marauders started to look more comfortable as they closed the gap on the Gaels lead. On the defensive side, big blocks from Entwistle and Ellie Hatashita (Kanata, Ont.) kept the team spirit alive. Fighting to stay in the game, the Marauders regained the lead late in the set. Showing their resilience, McMaster was able to win the set 25-20 after a challenging battle.
After competitive performances in the second and third set, the teams continued to be well matched. The Marauders were strong in their technical performance, with four service aces from the team in the set. The Gaels were strong in their plays, challenging the Marauders. Mid-set, a perfectly placed service ace from Hatashita along with some hard-fought rallies motivated the home team. The Marauders were able to tie it back up at 16-16, keeping themselves in the game. Despite fighting back to regain the lead, McMaster ultimately fell 25-23 to the Gaels.
In the final set of the match, the game continued to be a close match, but the Marauders stayed composed under pressure. On offense, Stratford had a strong set with five assists and a kill that made the home crowd erupt. The Marauders held the lead early, but Queen’s closed the gap to keep the game close.
Up Next
The Marauders will now look forward to rematching against the Gaels tomorrow at 6pm in the Burridge. They improve their win streak to three and hope to carry that through the weekend.