North York, Ont. – The McMaster Marauders men's and women's badminton teams competed at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Championships this weekend, hosted by York University at the Tait McKenzie Centre. After a series of challenging matches and strong effort, the Marauders finished in fifth place.
On Friday, Feb. 7, McMaster opened the tournament with a matchup against the Western Mustangs. Despite a solid start, the Marauders were ultimately defeated 7-3. The teams split the first two matches, but McMaster fell short in the end. In the second match of the day, the Marauders faced the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks. A hard-fought, back-and-forth battle led to a 5-5 draw, concluding Day 1.
On Saturday, McMaster took on the Toronto Varsity Blues in a tense contest. The Marauders struggled and suffered a tough 10-0 loss. They then faced the York Lions in another difficult match. Although McMaster put up a strong fight, they were defeated 6-1. Karan Mukhi (Brampton, Ont.) and Aaryan Walia (Mississauga, Ont.) secured one victory for the Marauders, but the Lions ultimately pulled away.
On Sunday, McMaster met the Ottawa Gee-Gees in the fifth-place matchup. The Marauders rallied to claim a 6-4 victory. Emily Xiao (Richmond Hill, Ont.) got the match started with a win, and Jeslyn Chow (North York, Ont.) and Xiao capped the day off with another victory.
The Marauders showed resilience throughout the tournament, earning a fifth-place finish — a testament to their effort and perseverance. Chow's exceptional play was recognized with an OUA All-Star award.
