They have three matches yet to play, but on Thursday the Marauders ensured their spot in the driver's seat throughout the OUA playoffs. McMaster clinched the OUA West division with a 3-2 (24-26, 19-25, 25-12, 25-17, 15-13) comeback victory over the Guelph Gryphons, and can host the OUA Final Four if they clear the quarterfinal stage in two weeks' time.

It was a struggle on Thursday as McMaster came up against their nearest competitors in the OUA, a Guelph team that looked hungry for a victory that would shoot them back into contention for the division's top spot. The Gryphons took the first two sets of the match, but the Marauders battled back to dominate the third, eke out the fourth and outlast the Gryphons in the fifth and deciding set to move their record to 13-3. The win was McMaster's eighth straight in conference play, and 11th in all competitions.

Joanna Jedrzejewska's arm should be sore on Friday, as the Marauder outside had a game high of 59 hitting attempts over the course of the five set match, thumping 20 of those to the floor and finishing with a game high of 24.5 points. Fellow outside Lauren Mastroluisi added 12 kills and five aces en route to a total of 18 points, while middle Taylor Brisebois posted a rounded stat line with 10 kills, three aces and four blocks for 17 points.

The two teams played out an exceptionally close opening set, with momentum -- and the lead -- changing hands several times before its conclusion. McMaster nudged ahead late in the set, and enjoyed set points before Guelph seized the initiative, forced extra points and ultimately stole the first from under McMaster's nose.

Pushing forward from the success of the first, the Gryphons pressured their hosts from the get-go in the second set, and lead throughout. Although McMaster stayed within striking distance, Guelph was rarely in danger as they remained steady and grabbed a two-set lead, taking the second by a six-point margin.

Backs against the wall, the Marauders found their game in the third set, and began to dominate play as it unfolded. McMaster's defence began to play havoc with Guelph's attackers, and the Marauders held the Gryphons to a negative hitting percentage in the third set, with the visitors notching just five kills as a team in the period. It all added up to a convincing set, as the Marauders took it by a 13-point margin.

The fourth was slightly more competitive, but a mid-set run by the Marauders gave them all the distance that they needed to continue their comeback. McMaster kept their collective foot on the gas pedal to race away and knot the match at two sets apiece, taking the fourth 25-17 and forcing the abbreviated decider.

In that fifth and final frame, McMaster got off to a fantastic start, and carried a two-point lead into the changeover at 8-6. They looked like running away with it, before the Gryphons returned fire in the late stages to close within a point at 14-13. But Jedrzejewska provided the final dagger, notching the last of her 20 kills as McMaster won the match and the OUA West.

The Marauders conference season moves one more step toward completion when they travel to Waterloo to take on the Warriors on Saturday, January 31. That match will get underway at 6:00 p.m. and can be seen live on OUA.tv.