Box Score The Marauders fell behind early in each of their three sets on Friday, but recovered each time to outpace the Western Mustangs for their first conference win of 2014.


Set scores were 25-18, 25-19 and 25-20 for the Marauders (7-5), who moved past the Windsor Lancers and into second position in the OUA West standings with the win. The Lancers enjoy two games in hand, however.


Middle Taylor Brisebois led McMaster – and the match – with 14 points, connecting on 10 of her 18 hitting attempts with two errors (44.4 per cent) while adding two aces and two total blocks. Rookie outside Sophie Bukovec added 12.5 points on 11 of 25 hitting with four errors (28 per cent), and added an ace and six digs. Libero Khira Adams was the team's leading defender with seven digs.


Western's point lead on Friday was shared by outside Steph Kreuter and middle Candice Scott, who each chipped in nine points. Kreuter's tally was comprised of 8 kills on 20 attempts with four errors (20 per cent) and an ace. Scott, meanwhile, killed eight of her 12 hitting attempts with two errors (50 per cent) and added a solo block.


The first set was a sloppy one for both offences, with the Marauders hitting at just 13.9 per cent and the Mustangs 8.1 in the opener. McMaster endured a negative start, but chipped away at the deficit as setter Kayla Ng began to find her attacking targets, and the Mustangs continued to struggle.


Brisebois and Bukovec were quickly becoming the most efficient options, with Western unable to find a blocking combination capable of challenging the middle. McMaster moved to the finish line in the first set fairly comfortably, and had found the formula that would earn it the overall win.


Another slow start saw the Marauders fall behind early but, much as they did in the first, the hosts clawed back to retake the lead at the technical timeout when Bukovec killed for 16-13. Having seized control, McMaster carried the set to its conclusion for a commanding lead.


The same trend held in the third and final set, as another sluggish start put McMaster on the back foot, before its attack switched into gear to take a 16-13 lead into the technical timeout. Western threatened in the late stages, but would never retake the lead as McMaster raced to the sweep.


Having notched a win in their first conference match of the new year, the Marauders will look to double down on Sunday afternoon, when they welcome the Windsor Lancers to the Burridge Gym. That match is slated to begin at 1:00 p.m.