The Marauders fell in another competitive five-set game against Long Beach State University (LBSU) on Saturday afternoon in the final match of the North America Challenge.
Leading the McMaster offense was outside hitter Sam Cooper (Hamilton, Ont.), with a staggering 22 kills and five service aces. Alongside Cooper was teammate Wojciech Kraj (Gliwice, Poland) and Mateusz Wlodarski (Ottawa, Ont.), each with 11 and 10 kills respectively. Robbie Fujisawa (North York, Ont.) supported the offense with 44 assists while Wlodarski made strong defensive contributions with 12 digs.
After a hard-fought match on Thursday, McMaster looked more confident in their offense in the first set. Two consecutive service aces from Cooper early on forced LBSU to use their first timeout, as the home crowd erupted. Outside hitter Kraj made two massive blocks, and the Marauders were able to hold onto a lead until LBSU tied it up at the 22nd point. Both teams used both of their timeouts, as they attempted to out match each other on the court. Cooper had an impressive first set performance, leading the team with four kills, while Fujisawa supported the attack with 10 assists. Setter Jason Wildeboer (Bowmanville, Ont.) made an impressive service ace late in the set, helping the Marauders gain points to edge out LBSU 25-23.
LBSU brought the intensity in the second set, looking strong on their offense as the Marauders struggled to respond. With kills from Cooper and Wlodarski mid set, McMaster was able to start generating more momentum, tying the score back up at 15-15. The teams continued to match each other point for point, and the Marauders remained composed on their home court. Cooper continued to have a consistent game, with five kills and one service ace, while Kraj and Wlodarski both had four kills. The teams were closely matched, making for a competitive set through to the end, but the Marauders were able to come out on top 25-23.
The teams continued to battle back and forth in the third set, with neither team able to find a lead. A service ace from Wlodarski tied up the game at the 11th point, as the teams continued to match each other. LBSU gained a small lead late in the set, forcing the Marauders to use a timeout. Coming back from this break in play, McMaster scored two consecutive points to tie the game back up at 22-22. Maxime Gratton (Ottawa, Ont.) and Cooper led with three kills each, while Cooper also put two more service aces past LBSU. Despite battling to keep the score close, LBSU managed to pull away with the third set, winning 25-23.
After three competitive sets, the fourth set was a similar match up. The teams kept the score close, but a kill by setter Fujisawa early in the set had the Marauder bench thrilled. Cooper was on fire on the left side, making an impressive seven kills. Despite their best efforts, LBSU was able to finish the set on top with a score of 25-21.
The Marauders started out strong in the fifth set, continuing to fight hard after four competitive sets. They were able to maintain a lead for most of the set, with three kills each from Kraj and Cooper helping the offense. The teams continued to tie until the 14th point, as pressure built in the Burridge. The teams fought in a close battle but ultimately, LBSU came out on top with a score of 16-14.
Up Next
The Marauders will look forward to continuing their OUA regular season as they face off against the Brock Badgers on January 13th in St. Catherines.