HAMILTON, Ont. – With just two weeks remaining in OUA regular season play, the McMaster men's and women's volleyball teams will look close out their 2019-20 home schedules on a high note as they get set to host the Guelph Gryphons Friday night inside Burridge Gymnasium.
While the men's team sits atop the OUA West standings, the women are battling for a trip to the postseason and find themselves in a three-way tie for the division's fourth and final playoff spot.
Women's Volleyball
vs. Guelph Gryphons - Friday Feb 7th @ 6:00 p.m. - OUA.tv
Despite suffering a minor setback last week by dropping both ends of a home-and-home with the Brock Badgers, the Marauder women (8-7) still hold their playoff destiny in their own hands, but know the road ahead isn't going to be easy. The Gryphons (8-6) come to town as one of those teams fighting for a trip to the playoffs and have won two straight coming into the matchup.
McMaster defeated Guelph in a decisive 3-1 match when the two teams last played January 25, and will be looking to extend its home winning streak over the Gryphons to 10 games dating back to 2010.
Women's head coach Tim Louks says his team knows what they need to do with their sights set on the playoffs. "A win at home on Friday would help to validate our continued improvement as we try to be a better volleyball team every match" said Louks.
Friday is senior night and the Marauders will honour their fourth-year athletes Hailey Kranics, Jessie Nairn, Kamila Haise, and Carrie Cheng for their hard work and dedication to Marauder women's volleyball, both on and off the hardwood.
Key Players
McMaster
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Jessie Nairn - Currently ranked fifth in the OUA in total kills with 174 on the season.
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Hailey Kranics - Leading the Marauders with 41 total blocks in 2019-20, including 27 solo.
Guelph
LB Tara Tanasijevic - Sits third in the conference with 218 digs.
LS Jade Ziebarth - Has paced the Gryphons offensive attack with 139 kills, good for 12th in the OUA.
Men's Volleyball
vs. Guelph Gryphons - Friday Feb 7th @ 8:00 p.m. - OUA.tv
Sitting first in the OUA West standings and in the midst of a 10-game win streak, the McMaster men's volleyball team will close out its home schedule ranked No. 2 in the country for a second straight week heading into this weekend's matchups with Guelph and the Waterloo Warriors.
The Marauders (12-1) are coming off a pair of victories over the Badgers that saw McMaster take six of seven sets over the two-game span.
McMaster has claimed its last 17 matches against the Gryphons (8-4) and seems poised to use these four remaining games to continue building towards a deep postseason run.
Key Players
McMaster
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Nathan Delguidice - The senior is averaging 4.11 kills per set (2nd in OUA), and leads McMaster with 111 kills for a .270 hitting percentage.
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Matt Passalent - His 0.49 service aces per set is good for second in the OUA while adding 109 kills on the season.
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David Doty - At 8.97 assists per set, Doty's 341 helpers have him sitting third in the conference.
Guelph
LB Ben Kissack - The defensive specialist leads the OUA West with 120 digs (2.67/set).
LS Zarko Ubiparip - Currently seventh in the OUA with 143 kills and let the Gryphons last time out with 15 kills, two blocks and an ace.
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