The McMaster Marauders defeated the Western Mustangs in a four-set game in London on Friday night.
6’5″ outside hitter Sam Cooper (Hamilton, Ont.) came to compete on Friday, leading the Marauders with an astounding 18 kills and four service aces. Alongside him on offense, teammate Thomas Williams (Oakville, Ont.) made an impressive 11 kills while Mateusz Wlodarski (Ottawa, Ont.) also made strong contributions with 10 kills. Supporting their offensive plays, setter Robbie Fujisawa (North York, Ont.) made 25 assists and picked up a service ace.
At the start of the first set, the Marauders struggled to find their rhythm as Western started out with the lead on their home court. McMaster fought hard as a team, showing their versatility with four players putting down at least two kills. As they closed the gap, the Marauders were able to gain a small lead, forcing the Mustangs into a timeout. Tyler Pavelic (Guelph, Ont.) had a strong set, leading the team with four kills, while Cooper picked up a service ace. Despite their best efforts, the Marauders fell to the Mustangs 25-21.
Coming off a tough first set, McMaster was determined to better their performance in the second set. The game was tight, with neither team distancing themselves with much of a lead. With the help of a staggering seven kills from Cooper and three from Williams, the Marauders were able to hold a small lead for the second half of the set. Supporting them, Jason Wildeboer (Bowmanville, Ont.) made eight assists, and McMaster was able to win the set 25-18.
Both teams were proving to be evenly matched, with the third set being another close game. Cooper continued to have a strong game, spiking down six kills, while Wlodarski contributed five kills. The teams continued to tie up the score until the 23rd point, and the Marauders showed impressive composure as they came out on top with a score of 25-23.
The Marauders opened the fourth set with a service ace from Fujisawa as they hoped to finish the game in this set. The Mustangs were quick to stop the Marauders’ momentum, as they picked up five consecutive points and forced McMaster to a timeout. The Marauders fought back and showed their determination by taking the lead and carrying it through to win the set 25-17.
Up Next
The McMaster Marauders will now face the Waterloo Warriors at home on Saturday at 8pm. They extend their win streak to three and will look to continue on their home court tomorrow.