Western Mustangs Fall to McMaster Marauders 3-1 in Second Game of the Week

The Western Mustangs met with the McMaster Marauders today at 8:00pm. The Mustangs won yesterday in a fifth and final set, looking to win again today. The Marauders ended up taking the game win in the fourth set with a score of 3-1. 
 
Western win the first point of the first set but the Marauders quickly equalize. A kill from the Marauders finds the middle back of the court to take the point lead. The teams trade points with both teams looking to take the lead. The Marauders push ahead to a two-point lead, but the Mustangs work to close that gap to one and further equalize as Josiah Esau sends a block back to the Marauders’ side. After winning three straight points, the Mustangs call for a timeout. Josiah Esau sends a ball into the middle of the Marauders’ court to win the first point coming out of the timeout. A block from Robbie Fujisawa wins the next point for the Marauders. Jared Kuiken gets the Marauders within five points of the set win with a kill. The Mustangs work to close the point gap to six. A timeout is called as the score hits 23-19. Western wins the first point after the timeout after a ball goes out of bounds off the Marauders. The Mustangs win their fourth point in a row to close the point gap to two making the score 23-21. The Marauders continue to push towards the set win to take the set 25-21. 
 
McMaster win the first point of the second set but after a serve from the Marauders goes wide, the points are equalized. Blake Fenwick goes to serve and a block from Cade Smith helps to put the Mustangs in the point lead. However, the Marauders equalize at five points. After a ball is sent out of bounds by the Mustangs to put the Marauders back into the lead. A long serve from Brady Paterson brings the Mustangs within one point of the Marauders. A kill from Kendall Homenick puts the Mustangs at nine points to McMaster’s ten. McMaster send a ball out of bounds and the teams equalized at 10 points. The Mustangs push ahead by one. The Marauders equalize at 17 but a short serve from McMaster gives the Mustangs another point. A service ace from Blake Fenwick puts the Mustangs within six points of the set win, two ahead of McMaster. After a ball set by Owen Kelly, Cade Smith sends the ball to the middle of the court to put the team within five points of the set win, causing the Marauders to call for a timeout. The Mustangs win the first point out of the timeout. A few point later, Cade Smith runs into the grandstand to keep the ball alive for the Mustangs with Western winning the point. McMaster close the point gap to two with the scoreboard at 21-23 to the Mustangs. Thomas Williams from the Marauders sends a ball down the line, closing that point gap to one and causing the Mustangs to call for a timeout. The McMaster equalize and push ahead to come within one point of the set win. The Mustangs maintain the pressure on the Marauders to equalize at 24 points. However, the Marauders send a ball out of bounds to put the Mustangs ahead in the points. The Marauders call for a timeout. The Marauders equalize at 25 points and go on to win a 26^th point. A service ace from Robbie Fujisawa sees the Marauders win the second set 27-25. 
 
The Western Mustangs win the first point after a short serve from McMaster. The Mustangs go on to a three-point lead early in the third set. Blake Fenwick finds an empty spot in the center of the court to push the point lead to five. However, a ball goes off the Mustangs block and out of bounds to decrease that point lead to four. A serving violation from McMaster increases a point lead to five making the score 10-15 to the Mustangs. McMaster win the next two points to maintain the pressure on Western. After both teams work to keep the ball alive, McMaster end up winning the point to put the score at 16-19. The Mustangs come within five points of the set win as a ball from McMaster goes just wide. A short serve from the Marauders puts the Mustangs within four points of the set win. Western secure the third set 18-25. 
 
Western win the first three points of the fourth set. The Mustangs push ahead in the points, but the Marauders trail behind by one. A ball goes out of bounds off the Mustangs to equalize the points at six. The teams trade points, equalizing at 10. A kill from Thomas Williams sends a kill into the middle of the court to equalize the points at 11. A ball send out of bounds by the Mustangs gives the Marauders the points lead for the first time in the fourth set. The teams equalize at 15. McMaster find their way through the Western defense to push ahead by one point, their third point in a row. A ball tipped over the net by Jonah Millard equalizes the points at 16. The teams trade points and a few points later they are tied at 18. Pushing ahead towards the set win, the Mustangs get within three of the set win, but a ball sent into the net by the Mustangs puts McMaster within two points of the set win. This causes Western to call for a timeout. A triple block from the Marauders brings McMaster within one point of the set win. The Mustangs equalize at 24 points. McMaster pushes ahead by two points to take the final set win in what was a close final set. the final score of the set was 26-24. 
 
The team will meet with the Waterloo Warriors at 8:00pm in Alumni Hall, London.