The Marauders swept the Paladins on Friday night in three sets for the first of two Black History Month games. The Marauders move their record to 12-3 and look forward to their last home game of the regular season tomorrow night.
On offense, Paige Entwistle (Jerseyville, Ont.) and Jordan Vang (Kitchener, Ont.) led the team with five kills each. The team displayed depth in their offense, with Paige Vrolyk (Sarnia, Ont.), Ellie Hatashita (Kanata, Ont.), and Abby Delamere (Toronto, Ont.) each making four kills. It was a big night for Vrolyk, as the senior had a career high performance. Supporting the offense, Christina Stratford (Burlington, Ont.) made 11 assists while Chayse Victoria (Oakville, Ont.) made nine. On defense, Hayley Brookes (Burlington, Ont.) made an impressive 11 digs.
The Marauders had a dominant performance in the first set on their home court. RMC struggled with their attack errors as the Marauders gained the lead. McMaster was strong on their defense, consistently shutting down any offense the Paladins generated. The Marauders showed versatility in their skills, with four players making service aces. Hatashita led with four kills in the set and while Stratford made five assists. This led the Marauders to win the first set dominantly 25-6.
After a confident first set from the Marauders, RMC came out with some offense in the second. The Marauders struggled with their errors and the Paladins were able to keep the score close early on. Three kills each from Entwistle and Vrolyk helped the Marauders gain a lead and slowed down RMC. McMaster had five consecutive points late in the set, helping them establish a comfortable lead. They were able to finish the set on top with a score of 25-16.
The third set started out strong for the Marauders with a dump from setter Victoria. Despite the strong start, RMC was able to tie the score back up at the 5th point and gain a small lead. The Paladins fought for it at the end of the third set in an attempt to take the game to another set. They were able to take the score to 23-23; an impressive performance since RMC has yet to pick up a win this season. Despite this push back, the Marauders were able to win the set, finishing with a kill from Juliana Jack (North York, Ont.) to win 25-23.
In the post-game press conference, when asked about the double header games against RMC, head coach Tim Louks said he was pleased with tonight’s game, and that “the first of the double. That sets the tone for tomorrow. It gets us one step closer to a playoff piece.” When seniors Vrolyk and Ana Strbac (Oakville, Ont.) were asked about how it felt being on the court together for their last weekend of regular season home games, Strbac said “this weekend means a lot to both of us; our last home regular season matches. And so getting to share that with her was just so amazing because it’s just bringing all of our years here together to an important moment.” When asked about the positive, supportive energy Vrolyk brings to the team, she said “I think it’s just part of who I am. I love to support my teammates. I realize that there’s a role for everyone on a team.”
Up Next
The Marauders will look forward to a rematch against the Paladins tomorrow in Burridge for their last regular season home game. They will hope to close out their weekend with two wins before going back on the road for the rest of the regular season.