HAMILTON, Ont. – The Marauders took down the Badgers in four sets on Friday Night in Burridge. Intensity was high, as the home team faced off against a team led by one of their old assistant coaches, Ian Eibbitt. Eibbitt was with the McMaster program for six seasons as the lead assistant coach, making himself a well-known face around Burridge. However, the Marauders, currently led by head coach Brad Douwes, came out ready to battle.
Brock currently sits at the top of the OUA rankings, holding a record of 13-3, while McMaster is close behind with a 12-4 record. Tonight, Brendan Mills led the Marauders’ offense with 18 kills, while Maxime Gratton made 13 kills and three service aces. Meanwhile Robbie Fujisawa supported with 40 assists and eight digs, and libero Matthew Rugosi also put out eight digs.
The Marauders found the early lead in the first set, 7-2, forcing a quick Brock timeout. Brock fought back to close in on the scoreboard, finding themselves behind by only two points, 11-9. As the rallies got longer, McMaster dug deep to hold their defense together. Setter Fujisawa made a strategic kill over the net after Brock struggled to control the service return, making the score 21-15. Mills lead McMaster with six kills in the set, while Gratton and Tyler Pavelic each put up four. The Marauders reached set point first, with a comfortable four-point cushion. Gratton closed out the set for McMaster with a score of 25-20.
After a strong opening set performance, the Marauders scored the first three points of the second set. The home team was quick to find a 7-2 lead which forced a Badgers timeout; events unfolding eerily similarly to the first set. This time, Brock was able to get organized and close the gap, making the score 8-6 for McMaster. The Badgers were holding the Marauders at a two- or three-point lead, until Pavelic made two service aces, stunning the home crowd. McMaster started to distance themselves on the scoreboard with a lead of 17-12. Gratton also put up two service aces in the set, as the Marauders reached set point first, 24-17. The Badgers struggled to defend the home team’s offense, and McMaster won the set comfortably 25-17.
The third set started with the closest scores so far in the game, as the Badgers started to figure out how to defend McMaster’s firing offense. The teams tied up until the seventh point, with the help of a huge triple block from Brock. Thomas Williams and Jack Mackley were subbed in for McMaster this set, but the Marauders struggled to slow Brock’s increasing momentum. Brock found their first substantial lead of the game, 11-8, forcing Douwes to call a timeout. The Badgers continued rolling their offense, eventually finding a 21-13 lead. Douwes called another timeout in attempts to rally the team, and Gratton responded after the break with a kill, but the Badgers ultimately finished on top, 25-19.
After an intense third set, the fourth was very similar. The teams tied up until the seventh point, just like in the third set. There were some intense battles at the net, with Fujisawa showing his impressive vertical to defend their court. Early in the set, Gratton made a powerful kill down the middle, lighting up the home crowd. The Marauders started to find a 19-14 lead, as intensity built. Brock fought their way back to tie the game at 19-19, then overturning the lead 21-19. This forced Douwes to call a timeout, which worked, as Pavelic came off the break with a kill. Late in the set, Gratton showed athleticism, making a volley that landed on the far side of the Brock court, catching them by surprise. The teams fought hard to the nail-biting end, bouncing points back and forth until McMaster edged out Brock 26-24.
Up Next
The Marauders will have an intense rematch against the Badgers tomorrow night in Burridge. The Marauders and Badgers both move their records to 13-4, showing their intensity of their competition in the OUA.
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