Marauders Hand Brock their First Loss of the Season in Five-Set Game

The #9 nationally ranked Marauders upset the #2 nationally ranked Brock Badgers in a five-set match on Friday night in St. Catharine’s. McMaster had an impressive offensive performance, ending the Badgers’ undefeated record so far this season.  

Leading the attack was outside hitter Sullie Sundara (Kanata, Ont.), with a staggering 17 kills and two service aces. Emma McKinnon (Milton, Ont.) had a strong game, with two service aces and six kills, while Chayse Victoria (Oakville, Ont.) supported the offense with 23 assists and four digs.  

The Marauders started the game out strong against the Badgers, leading 7-1, but Brock was quick to answer, following with 10 unanswered points. The Badgers are undefeated so far this season, but McMaster focused on their game, remaining strong offensively. First year Christine Hachokake (Ottawa, Ont.) had an impressive first set with three kills, while Sundara led the offense with six kills and two service aces. Christina Stratford (Burlington, Ont.) supported the offense with 12 assists and was strong on defense with four digs. The teams exchanged points back and forth, but the Marauders were consistent with their kills and were able to win the first set 25-20. 

In the second set, the Badgers offense came out strong, looking to take an early lead after falling in the first set. The Marauders used a timeout early on, as they attempted to slow Brock’s momentum. McMaster showed depth in their offense, with three kills each from Sundara and Ellie Hatashita (Kanata, Ont.) and two kills each from Paige Entwistle (Jerseyville, Ont.) and McKinnon. Despite McMaster’s offensive efforts, the Badgers remained strong on the attack, and reached the set point first. Brock was able to finish the set comfortably with a score of 25-17. 

The third set was competitive, with points going back and forth between the teams. Intensity was high as the teams fought to win the set to gain a lead in the game. Despite the teams proving to be closely matched, the Badgers were able to peel away with a small lead. Late in the set, service aces from McKinnon and Entwistle excited the Marauders, as they fought to close the gap. McMaster was resilient, tying up the score at 20-20. Leading the offense was Sundara with five kills, as the Marauders made an impressive comeback and ultimately won the set 25-23. 

The Badgers gained momentum quickly in the fourth set, as their motivation was high to maintain their undefeated record. Five unanswered Brock points forced McMaster into an early timeout, as the Marauders attempted to rally their offense with the opportunity to win the game on the line. The Badgers were dominant on their offense, scoring 13 more unanswered points. McMaster struggled with attack errors and the team was not able to respond to the huge momentum Brock was bringing to the court. Despite some offensive efforts at the end of the set, the Badgers were able to win the set with a confident score of 25-9. 

Coming off a tough fourth set, the Marauders were resilient in the last set, battling hard to keep themselves in the game. Leading the offense was Sundara with three kills, but it was a large team effort, as six Marauders managed to get at least one kill in the fifth set, showing their versatility in offense. The Marauders reached the set point first, as the pressure was on for the Badgers. McMaster was able to finish the set on top with a score of 15-13 to win the game, serving the Badgers their first loss of the season.  

Up Next 

The Marauders will now look forward to playing the Varsity Blues in Toronto on Sunday afternoon. The team will hope to extend their win streak to two after a strong performance on the road against Brock.