London, Ont. — The McMaster Marauders men’s volleyball team (3-5) played in two tough matches against the Western Mustangs (2-2). The Marauders fell 3-1 on Friday and 3-0 on Saturday.
Match 1 vs Western (Nov 15, 2024)
On Friday, Maxime Gratton (Ottawa, Ont.) earned the first point of set one. After Grayson Jarrett (Camrose, Alta.) took the lead for the Marauders, the Mustangs went on a 7-0 run, which gave them a 12-4 lead. First-year, Seth O’Brien (Kingston, Ont.), drilled home four kills as the Marauders inched closer to the Mustangs. Western scored three points and held an eight-point lead. Kills by Gratton and Ashton Fox-Kristensen (Elora, Ont.) kept the Marauders close, but the Mustangs took set one, 25-19.
The second set began with the Marauders down by one after an O’Brien kill. Jarrett’s successful attack tied the set at 10. The Mustangs went on a 7-1 run, controlling the play in the process. Gratton scored twice trying to keep the set within reach, but the Marauders were unable to as they fell 25-23.
McMaster had a good start to set three. Gratton, Fox-Kristensen and Jarrett all had successful attacks as they held an 8-6 lead. McMaster maintained that two-point lead for several points before two service aces by Jarrett and a nice feed from Robbie Fujisawa (North York, Ont.) to Gratton for another score placed the Marauders with a six-point lead. Fox-Kristensen added another point on the board and the Marauders won set three, 25-17.
McMaster carried the momentum from the previous set and got off to a 6-3 lead, highlighted by Gratton’s three kills. Second-year Marauder, Jared Kuiken (London, Ont.), put his first point on the board but the set remained even at 10. Points by Jarrett and O’Brien kept the set tied at 13. The Marauders and Mustangs battled hard as each teams traded points resulting in a 24-22 McMaster lead. O’Brien and Kuiken were key contributors down the stretch. The Marauders were unable to close out the set as the Mustangs went on 5-1 run and took set four, 27-25.
The Marauders fell 3-1 on match one of their weekend series against Western.
Match 2 vs Western (Nov 16, 2024)
On Saturday, Western started off set one with an 8-4 lead. Grayson Jarrett (Camrose, Alta.) made an impact with two successful attacks as the Marauders were down by six. Ashton Fox-Kristensen (Elora, Ont.) made an exceptional serve for the service ace. Maxime Gratton (Ottawa, Ont.) with his first major impact of the day as the Marauders were down by three. Robbie Fujisawa (North York, Ont.) with a great set up for Gratton who spiked the ball with authority, but the Marauders would fall 25-21 in set one.
McMaster had a strong response to their set one loss as they came out of break with a 6-2 lead, highlighted by three Gratton Kills. Fox-Kristensen added another point. Jarrett and Jared Kuiken (London, Ont.) continued the strong offensive effort from McMaster as they held a three-point lead halfway through the set. The Mustangs climbed back into the game as they held a 20-17 lead. Fujisawa added a successful attack, but it would not be enough as the Mustangs took set two, 25-19.
McMaster took an early 5-3 lead in set three. Jarrett added to their lead with a spike finish. The Mustangs quickly came back, and it was a tight set. Three kills in a row by Jarrett and Gratton kept the set at 15. Once Western went on a 5-1 run, second-year Marauder, Kaden Zunti, (Burlington, Ont.) scored on a well-executed attack with McMaster trailing by three. O’Brien and Zunti both added late points, but McMaster would fall short in set three, 25-22.
The Marauders would lose for the second time in as many days as they lost 3-0 to the Western Mustangs on Saturday.
Next up, the maroon face off against the Brock Badgers as they visit St. Catharines on Friday and Saturday.