Box Score They boast a healthy roster for the first time this season, and on Saturday, the Marauders demonstrated what such a group is capable of. McMaster dominated Western — the only team to beat them this season — from the opening serve, en route to a clinical straight-set win (25-11, 25-21, 25-14).
The win was McMaster's 10th straight in conference play and 14th consecutive in all competitions, moving them to 10-1 on the season and further extending their lead atop the OUA standings. Six conference opponents have come and gone since McMaster last lost a set, with the last setback coming when they notched a 3-1 win over the York Lions on Halloween.
Danny Demyanenko — the most efficient hitter in the CIS — had another brutally efficient night, converting eight of nine hitting attempts without an error (.889) and adding three blocks for a game-high of 11 points. Veteran setter Austin Campion-Smith had 31 assists and two aces on the night, while libero Pawel Jedrzejewski tallied 14 digs as far and away the most prolific defender.
A Campion-Smith service run set the tone to begin the match, as McMaster burst out to an early lead. When he teed-up a perfectly-timed pass for Alex Elliot through the middle, the Marauders forced the Mustangs into their first timeout of the night at 11-6. Things only worsened for coach Jim Sage and the Mustangs from there, and the Marauders carried a commanding seven-point lead into the technical timeout after Stephen Maar wiped wide from the left for 16-9. McMaster won nine of 11 points after the timeout, racing away with the set by a 14-point margin.
The second set appeared to be on the same course, as a Brandon Koppers tip moved McMaster ahead 20-13 and well within sight of the finish line. But the Marauders saw their play dip momentarily, and the Mustangs embarked on a four-point run to induce a timeout from Dave Preston. The setback proved to be little more than a speed bump for the Marauders, who recovered to win the set when Maar produced a block on the left.
There was no magic to be had for the Mustangs on Saturday, as the Marauders kept their feet firmly on the gas pedal in the third set. They led 16-8 at the technical timeout, after Western's Justin Scapinello was unable to salvage a loose pass, and continued to press forward after the break. A Sean Boyne serve sailed wide to bring up set point, and Elliot brought the match to an end a point later as he tipped to the floor through the middle.
Having avenged their only loss of the season, the Marauders will look to continue their months-long winning streak when they travel to Windsor tomorrow to battle the Lancers. That game gets underway at 4:00 p.m. and will be broadcast live on OUA.tv.
