Going the distance in their final regular season game at home, the McMaster Marauders women's volleyball team fell to the Guelph Gryphons 3-2 at the Burridge Gym on Friday night.
 
A back-and-forth tilt all night, the Marauders traded sets with their opponents 25-18, 19-25, 25-16, 21-25, 7-15.
 
The Gryphons got out to a 9-3 lead in the final set, taking full control of the game.
 
Jessie Nairn led the maroon with a season-high 18 kills and five service aces, while Rebecca Maxwell had a major breakthrough with a career-high 16 kills on 43 total attacks with only four errors all game, hitting .279.
 
Nikolina Malic dished out assists all night, going for a total of 43 in the five-set thriller.
 
The loss proves to be decisive as the race for playoff spots intensifies. The Gryphons wo were tied with the Marauders on points with 16 apiece for the fourth and final spot in the OUA West division, have created separation heading into the final three games of the regular season.
 
Prior to the game fourth-year senior athletes Nairn, Kamila Haase, Hailey Kranics, and Carrie Cheng were honoured for senior night. The trio of Haase, Nairn and Kranics lifted the Quigley Cup as OUA champions in 2017, while Cheng sees out a two-year stint with the program as a setter.
 
NEXT UP: The Marauders hit the road on Saturday night to take on the Waterloo Warriors. Game time is schedule for 6pm.