The Marauders fell to the Mustangs on Friday night in a tough five set game. They returned to the Burridge for the first time in 2024, facing a tough loss in a competitive match.
Leading the Marauders’ offence was Maxime Gratton with 26 kills and two service aces. Setter Robbie Fujisawa had a strong game, making 51 assists, 13 digs, and two solo blocks. First year Brady Paterson also had a strong performance with 11 kills and three assists.
Joining today’s starting line was second year Jack Mackley and first year Jared Kuiken. McMaster put up the first point of the game with an assist from Fujisawa to Mills for the kill. Mackley and Paterson showed their height at the net, making a big block and bringing the score to 6-5 for McMaster. Western started to gain some momentum, racking up three consecutive points. Gratton put that momentum to a halt with a powerful kill and service ace, bringing the score to a 10-10 tie. Mackley put on a great performance as he remained a force to reckon with in the middle and was quick to push any loose balls over the net. The Marauders continued with this offense, easily winning the set 25-18.
Western opened the second set on attack, putting up five points quickly. The Marauders struggled with their errors, allowing the Mustangs to settle into a lead. Gratton helped to turn things around, making an unstoppable service ace, bringing the score to 10-14 for Western. McMaster fought to keep up but Western managed to flip the score from the first set, 25-18 for the Mustangs.
The third set started with an intense rally between the teams, ultimately ending with a McMaster point. The teams remained close on the scoreboard, and setter Fujisawa displayed his dynamic ability, quickly repositing to set any ball on the court. Mills and Mackley made a huge block late in the set to tie the score at the 17th point. Despite this, the Mustangs scored three consecutive points to earn a 21-18 lead and forced a McMaster timeout. This served the Marauders well, who returned with two points. Paterson dodged a long Western serve to keep McMaster in the game at the Mustangs set point. The Marauders fought hard at the end, but Western managed to hold onto their lead and win the set 25-22.
Early in the fourth, the Marauders when on a four-point tear, with first year Paterson serving up an ace. Gratton continued to be strong on his kills, earning nine in the set. Mid-set, the teams had a competitive back-and-forth rally, ultimately ending up with a huge block from Mills to hold a five-point lead for McMaster. Coming off a Western timeout, setter Jason Heidbuurt made a slick service ace, lighting up the home crowd. The Marauders were able to comfortably win the set 25-17, staying alive for a final set.
The fifth set was not going to come easy for either team. With the game on the line, Kuiken came in with a massive block to bring the score to 6-7 for Western and elating the home team. McMaster trailed 6-8 at the halfway mark, but Gratton helped tie the score back up at the eighth point with another kill. Fujisawa made a great block late in the set, but Western came up with newfound energy, earning the last four points of the set, to win 15-12.
Up Next
The Marauders will rematch against the Mustangs tomorrow night at 8pm in the Burridge, as they hope to find redemption after tonight’s match.
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