A day after flexing their offensive muscles against the Lethbridge Pronghorns, the Marauders turned in a defensive display to stymie the Ottawa Gee-Gees in their CIS semifinal clash on Saturday, winning a low-scoring encounter 14-8 to return to the national final.

Scoring opportunities were scarce on Saturday, with the two teams combining for just three tries in a punishing, physical contest. Prop Colleen Irowa had both scores for McMaster, with Steph Black providing the convert on both occasions.

With the win, McMaster advances to the CIS final for the second consecutive year, and will await the winner of the second semifinal between the Queen's Gaels and Concordia Stingers.

There was nothing to choose between the two teams in the opening half on Saturday, with Ottawa notching the only points of the period when Irene Patrinos drained a penalty goal in the 16th minute to give the Gee-Gees the 3-0 lead.

Loose play cost the Marauders their few possessions in the half, as several knock ons put an end to otherwise promising drives.

McMaster proved cleaner and more effective after the break, and scored the game's first try just two minutes into the half when a long, methodical possession ended with Irowa punching the ball across the try line from close range. Black's first successful convert of the afternoon gave Mac a 7-3 lead.

Responding immediately, the Gee-Gees drove forward into Marauder territory and held possession for a matter of minutes, pinning McMaster deep in their end for a stretch of over five minutes. The RSEQ champions were within just feet of the try line on several occasions over that span, but stout defence from the Marauders denied them the try, and McMaster eventually forced a turnover to relieve the pressure.

That proved to be a massive moment in the game, as the Marauders swung momentum and built another try with their patented blend of speed and power. Working a series of brutal pick and gos, the Marauders once again got the ball into the hands of Irowa deep in Ottawa territory, and the prop withstood her tacklers to cross the line yet again. Black was clinical on the convert, to push Mac ahead by 11 points at 14-3.

Now within the final 10 minutes of regular time, the clock was actively working against the Gee-Gees, who finally found paydirt for their first try of the afternoon as regulation was drawing to a close, with Jackie Ellis taking the ball across the line. The difficult convert proved too much for Patrinos, and Mac led 14-8.

Things very nearly took a tragic turn for Mac just moments later, as an Ottawa run split their defensive line, and Ashley Gordon provided a saving tackle as the last woman back. That proved crucial, as the Marauders saw out the victory just a minute later.