ST. CATHARINES, Ont. – After a heartbreaking 3-1 loss (25-22, 20-25, 21-25, 16-25) in the 2023-24 OUA Quigley Cup championship match against Brock, the Marauders were out for revenge—and they got it.
In front of a sold-out crowd at Bob Davis Gymnasium, there was plenty on the line for both teams. The Badgers were chasing their fourth straight OUA championship title, while the Marauders were looking for their first provincial championship win since 2016-17.
The match began with an ace from fourth-year captain
Sullie Sundara (Kanata, Ont.), bringing Marauder fans to their feet. Despite the electric start, McMaster trailed early until First Team OUA All-Star
Olivia Julien (Toronto, Ont.) recorded back-to-back blocks to tie the first set at 5-5.
A 3-0 McMaster run, highlighted by a joust dominated by
Emma McKinnon (Milton, Ont.), gave the Marauders an early advantage. Later, a Sundara masterclass—including a perfectly placed tip and two powerful kills—led to a 6-2 run and a 14-11 lead.
The teams exchanged thrilling rallies, keeping fans on the edge of their seats. Ultimately, the Badgers gained momentum with four consecutive points, forcing McMaster to take its first timeout.
Rookie
Jennifer Wu (Burlington, Ont.) subbed in and delivered an ace to reignite McMaster's energy.
Maddy Lutes (Barrie, Ont.) followed with a timely block to go up 20-19, and assisted blocks from
Abby Delamere (Toronto, Ont.) and
Chayse Victoria (Oakville, Ont.) sealed the first set, 25-22.
McMaster picked up where they eft off, opening the second set with a 3-0 run. Up 7-3, Sundara stunned the crowd with a back-row slam. Though Brock stayed in the set with scrappy play, McMaster capitalized on the Badgers errors.
An
Angelika Vidmar (Etobicoke, Ont.) kill secured the second set, 25-19, leaving the Marauders just one set away from the 2024-25 OUA Quigley Cup title.
It was déjà vu at the start of the third set, as McMaster jumped to a 5-2 lead. After a brief exchange of points, a Julien ace put the Marauders up 8-5, and a Sundara kill sent the ball into the top row of the stands, widening the gap.
Sundara recorded her fourth ace of the match to push McMaster ahead 17-12. With the championship within reach, Julien came up clutch, recording three of the Marauders' final five kills.
With match point on the line, Sundara delivered the final kill to crown McMaster the Quigley Cup champions. Her dominant performance—20 points, 15 kills, 11 digs, and four aces—earned her Player of the Match honours.
After sweeping the reigning OUA champions, the Marauders now advance to the U SPORTS Women's Volleyball Championship, hosted by the University of Manitoba from March 14-16.
