On Friday night, the Marauders fought back and forth against the TMU Bold in Toronto, but ultimately fell short after four sets.
Sullie Sundara (Kanata, Ont.) continued to be an offensive threat this season, leading the team with an incredible 19 kills and 10 digs. Second year Maddy Lutes (Barrie, Ont.) was right alongside Sundara, with 13 kills and 13 digs. Ana Strbac (Oakville, Ont.) and Paige Entwistle (Jerseyville, Ont.) also had strong games, each with seven kills and Strbac with two service aces. Libero Hayley Brookes (Burlington, Ont.) had a great defensive game with a staggering 20 digs, and Christina Stratford (Burlington, Ont.) was consistent with 37 assists.
The Marauders struggled on the Bold’s home court in the first set, as TMU was able to take a strong lead early on. McMaster fought to catch the Bold, and Abby Delamere (Toronto, Ont.) was able to put over three kills, but it wasn’t enough as the home team gained momentum. The Marauders put up some points near the end of the set, but the Bold were too far ahead and won the set comfortably 25-18.
After a tough first set, the Marauders came out strong in the second set. TMU fought to keep the set close, while Sundara was powerful with seven kills and Lutes contributed three to keep the Marauders in the game. Mid set, McMaster started to gain some distance in the score from the Bold. Following a TMU time out, McMaster started to struggle with their errors, giving up free points to the Bold who tied up the game at 18-18. The Marauders fought hard, with their bench cheering them on, as Sundara contributed the last three points of the set to win 25-23.
The Marauders continued to play with heart in the third set, but the Bold had variety in their attacks and McMaster struggled to keep up. Holding their composure, the Marauders came in with some big blocks to tie the game 11-11. Sundara continued to send balls to the back corners of the TMU court, racking up six kills. Outside hitter Lutes was also strong on offense with five kills, showing her offensive reliability. The teams continued to tie up until 22-22, but TMU reached the set point first and were able to win the set 25-23.
In the fourth set, McMaster started off strong, not appearing to be phased from the previous set. With Strbac, Sundara and Lutes each posting four kills, they displayed their power and slowed the momentum of the Bold. The Marauders held their lead until the end of the set, as the game continued to be a nailbiter, with the teams tying at 23-23. TMU scored eight unanswered points at the end of the set to ultimately win the game, taking set four 25-23.
Up Next
The Marauders will look forward to playing the Brock Badgers in St. Catherine’s on Sunday at 1pm. Their perfect win streak comes to an end, but they will look to add another win to their record on Sunday.