Able to stay steps ahead of their American opponents through the first two sets, and bounce back from the loss of the third emphatically, the McMaster Marauders dispatched yet another top-ranked NCAA visitor Friday, defeating the second-seeded Long Beach State 49ers 3-1 (25-20, 25-23, 18-25, 25-20) at Burridge Gym.

The victory marked McMaster's third against NCAA Division I competition this season, and extends the Marauders perfect record in international contests at Burridge Gym.

Senior outside hitter Andrew Richards (London, ON) paced the Hamilton side in the victory, putting 15 of his team-high total of 32 attempts to the floor for kills and finishing the match with a team-leading haul of 16.5 points.

Their blocking proved a difference maker for the Marauders in the win, as the hosts notched five solos and 10 assists, with middle Peter Khodkevych (Woodbridge, ON) posting three and a half blocks of his own.

Kyle Ensing led LBSU with 13 kills and 18 points in a losing effort, but was held to just 13 per cent hitting (13-38 with eight errors).

The Marauders jumped out to an early advantage Friday, and rode it into the first set technical timeout, where they enjoyed a three-point lead after Richards fired a high ball off the block and deep for 16-13.

Unable to piece together a run that could truly turn the tables, Long Beach State never fully erased the deficit, and the Marauders took the set 25-20 when Nick Amado's audacious cut shot landed wide of the mark.

Three consecutive 49ers points, and four of the first five, sent the Marauders to an early timeout to open the second set. But the hosts rebounded quickly, and once again held a three-point lead at the technical, this time coming on the heels of a solo stuff from Khodkevych.

The visitors kept things close as the teams barrelled toward the finish line, and Long Beach State pulled within a point when TJ DeFalco killed for 23-22. But the Marauders refused to blink as the pressure mounted, and sealed a two-set lead when Matthew Passalent (Hamilton, ON) managed to squeeze a tight shot through a double block for 25-23.

Hopes of an uncomplicated end to proceedings were dashed in the third, as Long Beach State built an early lead and raced on from the technical timeout, taking the set 25-18 to force a fourth and treat the Burridge Gym crowd to bonus volleyball.

There, the home side steadied once again, and produced their most efficient offensive effort of the night en route to a .478 hitting rate as a group in set four.

A run of six points in eight, capped by a kill from middle Bennett Swan (Oakville, ON), vaulted the Marauders into an early lead in the fourth, which they would not relinquish. The advantage swelled to seven by the onset of the technical timeout, as consecutive kills from Richards and Brandon Koppers (Georgetown, ON) had Mac ahead 16-9, and despite a late surge from the visitors, the hosts were not to be caught.

Ultimately, it was an error that undid the 49ers, as Josh Tuniga's final serve found the tape to conclude the fourth set and the match.

NEXT UP: The Marauders and 49ers resume hostilities at Burridge Gym Saturday, with first serve scheduled for 7:00 p.m.