The Marauders defeated the Lions in four sets at home on Wednesday evening, extending their win streak to six.
Leading the Marauders offense was Sullie Sundara (Kanata, Ont.) with an impressive 18 kills, while Ana Strbac (Oakville, Ont.) contributed 12. Setter Christina Stratford (Burlington, Ont.) led in assists with 34, while Emma McKinnon (Milton, Ont.) made 21 digs and libero Hayley Brookes (Burlington, Ont.) made 20 digs.
Ellie Hatashita (Kanata, Ont.) started the game strong for the Marauders with a service ace. McMaster looked confident on their home court right out of the gate, taking the lead early on. Sundara and Abby Delamere (Toronto, Ont.) led the team in kills with five each, and Stratford supported with 10 assists. York began to gain some momentum mid-set, but the Marauders remained consistent on their offense and strong on their digs. The home team was able to finish the set off 25-15.
The Lions brought newfound intensity to their offense in the second set, matching the Marauders for points. York continued to be strong in their kills, gaining a small lead, but the Marauders remained composed. In an attempt to rally their offense, McMaster used both of their timeouts. After some attack errors from York, the Marauders were able to start to turn their game around. Sundara made three kills while McKinnon made two, but the Marauders couldn’t generate enough consistent offense, as the Lions took the second set 25-20.
The third set started out similarly to the second, with the Marauders finding one or two-point leads, but continuously being matched by the Lions. Mid-set, Hatashita made her second service ace of the game, igniting the home crowd. Late in the set, setter Stratford earned her second point of the game, sending a ball over to the unexpecting Lions. The Marauders continued to gain momentum, with the team serving two more aces from McKinnon and Strbac. Their offense looked strong with Sundara leading in kills with seven and McKinnon contributing five. Ultimately, the Marauders were able to come out on top, reversing the score from the second set, 25-20.
The fourth set looked similar to the previous two, as the teams continued to match each other. York began to gain a small lead, fighting to stay alive for a fifth set. The Marauders showed resilience to tie the game back up at the 16th point and gain a lead in a run of seven unanswered points. McMaster displayed depth in their offense with kills from five different players, and Strbac led with five kills while Brookes made an outstanding eight digs. The Marauders carried their momentum through to the end, winning the set 25-20.
Up Next
The Marauders will face off next against the Warriors on Saturday in Waterloo. They will hope to continue to extend their win streak as they continue into the second half of their season.