Marauders set to battle Ohio State Buckeyes in Game 1 of North America Challenge

HAMILTON, Ont. – The 2022-23 OUA men’s volleyball season is less than a month away but Marauders fans won’t have to wait that long to catch their team in action. The McMaster men’s volleyball team will step onto the court in Burridge Gymnasium on Saturday for a pre-season contest with the Ohio State Buckeyes, the first of three North America Challenge games in 2022-23. The North America Challenge will feature Canadian and American talent as the Marauders will face Ohio State University and Long Beach State University. Single game tickets for this weekend’s contest with the Buckeyes and North America Challenge ticket packages are available now.

McMaster Marauders (12-0) (2021-22 Regular Season Stats)
1st in OUA West Division Standings

Ohio State Buckeyes (13-13, 7-7) (2022 Regular Season Stats)
5th in MIVA Standings

McMaster 2021-22 Regular Season Stats

 Ohio State 2022 Regular Season Stats

The McMaster Marauders return to the court after an impressive 2021-22 season. The maroon and grey went undefeated throughout the OUA regular season, winning twelve straight games from November to March before winning three more contests, defeating the Windsor Lancers, Brock Badgers and Toronto Varsity Blues enroute to the OUA title. At the U SPORTS Men’s Volleyball Championship, the Marauders fell to the Calgary Dinos 3-1 before dropping the Queen’s Gaels and Manitoba Bisons to finish fifth in the nation. McMaster has been a perennial powerhouse in the OUA for years and will look to return to the national podium this year when the team hosts this year’s national championship.

South of the border, the Ohio State Buckeyes had an up and down season in 2022. The Buckeyes play in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) along with Ball State, Lewis, Lindenwood, Loyola Chicago, McKendree, Purdue Fort Wayne and Quincy. Ohio State went 13-13 last year including 7-7 in conference, qualifying for the playoffs but fell to Lewis in the MIVA quarterfinal. The Buckeyes are 3x NCAA National Champions, winning the title in 2011, 2016 and 2017. The NCAA men’s volleyball season runs from January to May so Ohio State will be getting things started early with this Saturday’s contest. McMaster is the only Canadian team that the Buckeyes will face.

All Time

The McMaster Marauders and Ohio State Buckeyes are no stranger to one another as they two teams have a lengthy history on the court. The Marauders and Buckeyes have faced each other seven times in the past eight years. McMaster owns the series 5-2 and will look to add another win to its record this Saturday.
Players to Watch

Ohio State

#7 Jacob Pasteur, 6’4″, Outside

• 2022 All-MIVA First Team
• Played in 99 regular season sets last season and had a team-high 394 kills
• Second on the team in aces with 34 and total blocks with 57

#17 Samuel Clark, 6’6″, Middle Blocker

• 2022 All-MIVA Second Team
• Had 354 kills and 165 digs on the year last season
• Led the Buckeyes in aces with 35

• 2022 OUA West Second Team All-Star
• Led OUA in blocks per set with a 1.48 average
• Recorded 37 blocks and 40 kills in nine matches

Game Coverage

Watch Live: https://oua.yaretv.com/

Twitter: @McMasterSports

Instagram: @mcmastermvb

For the latest news and updates on the McMaster Marauders, follow @mcmastersports on social media or visit www.marauders.ca.