The Marauders swept the Paladins on Saturday night in Burridge for their seniors’ night game. This was their last regular season home game, and before the match started the team honored their four graduating players: Paige Vrolyk (Sarnia, Ont.), Ana Strbac (Oakville, Ont.), Christina Stratford (Burlington, Ont.), and Ellie Hatashita (Kanata, Ont.).
Leading the Marauders on offense tonight was Emma McKinnon (Milton, Ont.) with nine kills, while Chayse Victoria (Oakville, Ont.) supported with 14 assists. Hayley Brookes (Burlington, Ont.) displayed athleticism on defense with an impressive 15 digs.
The Marauders took the early lead in the first set, looking comfortable on their home court while RMC struggled with their errors. The Paladins struggled to generate consistent offense as the Marauders continued to distance themselves on the scoreboard. McKinnon led McMaster with four kills and Stratford supported with nine assists. The Marauders were able to close out the first set confidently with a score of 25-9.
The second set was similar to the first, with McMaster taking the lead early on. McKinnon was consistent on offense, leading with five more kills, while libero Brookes was strong on defense with six digs. RMC had an unfortunate injury to their libero, Emilie Boileau (Ottawa, Ont.), forcing them to change their rotation mid-set. For McMaster, Victoria had a strong technical game, making back-to-back service aces and continued to make a total of three in the set. The Paladins made a push at the end with three consecutive points, but ultimately the Marauders came out on top with a score of 25-11.
McMaster continued to play a consistent game while displaying the depth of their team, adding more players into their rotation. Four different Marauders made kills, with Maddy Lutes (Barrie, Ont.) leading them in a dominant performance of five kills, while Paige Entwistle (Jerseyville, Ont.) and Vrolyk made service aces. Mid-set, the Paladins came in with some strong blocks, throwing off the Marauders’ rhythm, but it didn’t take long for them to regain their footing. RMC were able to get the most points past the Marauders in this set, but the home team still finished on top with a score of 25-13.
Up Next
The Marauders will now head on the road for their last four regular season home games, starting with the Mustangs in London on Friday night. The team has now won nine of their past ten games, and will hope to finish out their regular season on a high note.