In a closely-contested match in beautiful conditions, the Marauders navigated a tough test against the RMC Paladins to win their OUA quarterfinal 23-15 and book at place in Sunday's semifinal on Wednesday.

Mitch Richardson had two tries, while Matt Nicol added another for the Marauders, who advance to meet the OUA's top team, the Guelph Gryphons, in Guelph on Sunday. Kicking in place of the regular Jamie Leveridge, Graham Dobbs was clutch, scoring a convert and two penalties, including one that pushed Mac beyond single-score range of RMC in the late stages.

The hosts got an early try within the first twenty minutes of the game, and held a slender 5-3 lead at the halftime break after RMC used a penalty goal to get within striking distance. Dobbs hit his first penalty of the afternoon just moments into the second 40, to extend Mac's lead to a full try at 8-3, and the Marauders tacked on even more when they broke down the right wing and touched down for their second try of the day. With a Dobbs convert going through the uprights, Mac's lead swelled to 15-3.

That try kicked off a rollicking period of play that saw the Paladins answer almost immediately with a try of their own, as they used a rolling maul to great effect and rumbled to the try line, with the convert bringing them back within five points. But Mac took its turn on the see-saw, and restored their two-score lead when Leveridge broke loose down the left and offloaded to an on-rushing teammate, who shook a defender en route to the house. The convert was no good, but McMaster held a crucial 20-10 lead.

Remaining resilient, RMC worked methodically to get back into the game, and scored their second try by calmly grinding down the Marauder defence deep in the Mac half, using a series of uncomplicated pick and go plays, and strong scrum work, to touch down to draw within five points yet again. The visitors were threatening for the pivotal final try, but Dobbs and McMaster averted disaster when the Marauder kicked his second successful penalty of the day just before the final whistle.