It’s the biggest margin of victory yet, but this time in an unfortunate Marauders loss for the Marauders women's rugby team
As the McMaster University women’s rugby team entered week five of competition, they geared up to face the Queen’s Gaels. The Gael’s hold the number one spot on the U Sports women's rugby leaderboard and are the reigning national champions. It was obvious from the get-go that it would be a tough match ahead.
Coming into the week McMaster ranked quite highly themselves, having secured the number nine position in the U Sports ranking. They were coming off a 77 to zero win against the Laurier Golden Hawks and looked to provide a real challenge for the Gryphons.
Unfortunately for the Marauders, they weren’t able to provide much resistance in their battle with Canada’s number one, losing by a final score of 96 to three. Following the loss, McMaster was removed from the U Sports top 10 list.
Facing a top ranked team has proven to be a challenge for most teams. The top five ranked teams have yet to be beaten.
Katie Mcleod, the captain of the women’s team, discussed how difficult it can be facing teams like the Gaels and the strategy that goes along with these big games to ensure the team keeps on moving forward.
“We’ve been focusing on setting goals going into games. Not necessarily score focused goals, but systems goals,” said Mcleod.
“We’ve been focusing on setting goals going into games. Not necessarily score focused goals, but systems goals,”
Katie Mcleod, Captain of women's rugby team
She noted her team seemed to know this game would result in a defeat, showing the importance of goal setting to continue measuring progress regardless of the outcome.
“Going into our Queen’s game, we kind of knew it would be a loss,” explained Mcleod.
The game ended going in the way of the Gaels, as was apparently anticipated. Mcleod was the lone scorer for the Marauders.
But why do these scores keep occurring? How do these substantial margins continue to happen game after game and for every team, not just McMaster?
“It comes down to the legacy that teams have developed. Some teams have full time head coaches, which provides for better recruitment,” said Mcleod.
This message seems to ring true, seeing the recent scores throughout the league. It also makes sense that stronger players recruited to only certain schools would lend itself to the creation of uneven scores. Though it looks like McMaster is trying to compete with these top ranked teams with the addition of head coach Chris Jones and his coaching staff.
“Now that we’ve gotten a new coaching staff, I know that recruitment has become something more on the radar. Hopefully in a few years we can be at a higher level,” explained Mcleod.
Looking to finish the season strong, the Marauders women's rugby team will face York and Brock to wrap up the season. It will become very important for the team to keep their focus on the season ahead, despite the prospect of a promising future they may already be looking forward to.
By: Graham West
Returning to the U Sports National Championships, the McMaster men’s volleyball team suffered a tough loss against the second-seeded Trinity Western University Spartans in the opening round; a familiar foe ending the Marauders’ hopes at winning another national medal following last year’s bronze.
This sent the team to the consolation semifinals where they took a heartbreaking loss in a rematch of the provincial finals against the Queen’s University Gaels. Even though the outcome of the tournament did not go the Marauders’ way, they still gave it their all to finish off the season.
Going into their first game, the team knew it would be a tough road getting past Trinity Western as they’ve played before in the national tournament. The Marauders, following their Ontario University Athletics silver medal, was given a disadvantaged position as the seventh seed in the tournament, setting them up to face No. 2 Trinity.
Mac was well aware of this possibly-discouraging matchup but tried to use the familiarity with their opponent to their advantage.
“They’re obviously a very good team and they’ve had some serious success in the past,” starting outside hitter Andrew Richards said. “We’re going into this the underdogs and we’re going to take that mindset and use it to our advantage. For us we have nothing to lose and we’re just going to give it all we have.”
Ultimately this was not enough to give the maroon and grey the win, losing 3-1 to their British Columbian foes. Despite the early exit from the tournament, the week did feature a bright spot.
🏐🚹 @McMasterSports head coach Dave Preston reacts to his team loss against the @TWUSpartans // L’entraîneur de McMaster Dave Preston réagit à la défaite des siens contre Trinity Western #ChampSZN pic.twitter.com/XTwrJRexhq
— U SPORTS Volleyball (@USPORTS_VBall) March 16, 2019
Over the weekend, Richards was awarded All-Canadian Second Team honours for his contributions to the Marauders’ success on the court this year, placing in the top 10 in Canada in aces per set (0.51) while leading his team with 185 kills over the season.
Richards was also awarded the Dale Iwanoczko Award for being an outstanding student-athlete and demonstrating excellence off the court. Richards is the first Marauder to win the award since its inaugural year in 1994.
“It’s a good way to end my five-year journey at university,” Richards said. “It’s an individual award, but I really can’t take all the credit for it.”
“I’ve had some amazing mentors and leaders in my life that have always challenged me to do that, so without them I really would have never been recognized for something like this.” Richards added.
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Richards’ mindset going into nationals was the same one which has made him such a great player in the first place: a mindset predicated on fierce competitiveness, mutual respect from his teammates and a genuine love of the game. This was Richards’ last chance at competing for a national championship and he took the opportunity just like he takes all of his games.
“I was talking to one of my coaches today, and he wanted me to sit down and think about once I’m done from Mac, in a couple of years, how do I want to think back and remember these last couple of days,” Richards said. “For me, I want to look back and know that I enjoyed my last matches and competed hard and that I was a good teammate and regardless of the outcome.”
This year marks the last year Richards will be wearing maroon for the men's volleyball team as his years of eligibility run out. While the team’s finish at nationals may not have been ideal, they still left their all on the court. Richards, and the teams he has been a part of, have left behind a tremendous legacy of numerous records, medals and trophies, and is one that will surely not be forgotten.
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After falling to the Queen’s University Gaels for the Ontario University Athletics Forsyth Cup, the McMaster men’s volleyball team are headed to the U Sports Men’s Volleyball Championships, but not exactly where they would like to be.
For the first time in seven years, the Marauders are heading to nationals, not as OUA champions. Although surely grateful that they still get to compete at the national level, the disappointment is still there. After a change in OUA men’s volleyball structure, the men’s team had to play their final game on the Gaels’ home court, despite being the number one seed.
The close matchup saw the Marauders and Gaels play five sets. After ending the first set 19-25, the Marauders bounced back strong, winning the second and third set 25-19 and 25-23, respectively. Unfortunately, the Gaels were in the comfort of their own home and were able to outscore the Marauders in both the fourth and fifth set, 16-25 and 13-15.
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This result landed the Marauders ranked seventh place going into nationals in Quebec City this weekend. Not only is this McMaster's lowest seed at the national tournament since Mac hosted in 2007, but their first opponents are also their longtime rivals, British Columbia’s Trinity Western University Spartans.
The number two seeded team has faced Mac several times in the national playoffs, and for the last four years, they have outplayed Mac. For First Team All-Star left side Andrew Richards, this is the last Canadian university volleyball championships he will ever play in. So hopefully the Marauders will be able to shake the curse and come out victorious against the Spartans.
First serve is scheduled for this Friday at 6:00 p.m.
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By: Coby Zucker
Coming into the Ontario University Athletics playoffs as the fourth-ranked team in Canada puts a target on your back. Add to that a record-breaking six-year stretch where McMaster has taken home the Forsyth Cup for first place in the OUA playoffs, and you now know which team is the one to beat.
And yet, pressure is nothing new for head coach Dave Preston who has been leading the team since 2002.
“The way our program and the way I deal with [pressure] is that I don't think that there's anybody outside of our team room that expects more out of our program than us,” said coach Preston. “So I think when teams start to feel pressure, it's because the external expectations become greater than what the internal expectations can handle. There isn't anybody who expects more out of us than us. So pressure is not an issue.”
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Playing on such a decorated team, it is safe to assume the Marauders have lofty expectations for themselves with none loftier than those of fifth-year hitter Andrew Richards, who will be playing in his fifth and final OUA playoffs this season. Richards welcomes the competition and the opportunity to leave it all on the floor.
“I definitely know teams want to beat us with our history of having the success that we've had in Ontario,” said Richards. “I'm sure it would be a sweet feeling for someone to try and knock us off but that motivates us even more to know that any time we play a team they're going to bring the best they have and they're going to be motivated to take us down. So it's something that we welcome almost. We want other teams to play their best, which in turn will make us play our best.”
One game into their playoff run, the Marauders’ opponents’ bests have not been good enough. The York University Lions certainly looked motivated this past Saturday coming into Burridge Gym taking the first set 25-27, but their momentum was quickly stifled.
The Marauders proceeded to take the next three sets (25-23, 25-15, 25-19) in a mirror of their last meeting with the Lions in the regular season. Next, it is onto Kingston to face the University of Windsor Lancers for the semi-finals on March 8.
♂️🏐 | RECAP
@MACMVB edged a tight second set and powered on from there, beating York in four sets to advance to the @ouasport Final Four for the ninth straight year. #GoMacGo
READ ⬇️https://t.co/20sI8BdneC
— McMaster Marauders (@McMasterSports) March 3, 2019
For the first time in seven years, McMaster will not be hosting the OUA Final Four due to formatting changes that no longer guarantee home court for the overall highest-seeded team. Continuing their seven-year streak will potentially require they face off in the finals against the Queen’s University Gaels, the only team against whom the Marauders have a losing record in the regular season, in Queen’s own gym.
“We've kind of adapted to this road warrior mentality where we'll go into anyone's gym and do our thing,” said Richards. “We sort of feel comfort in the sense of being uncomfortable, if that make sense? We want to sleep in hotels, we want to play in different gyms, we want to be in front of other fans. It's just the kind of identity our team's going to take on here in the playoffs.”
It remains to be seen how the Marauders will adapt to this wrinkle in their era of dominance. They certainly still have all the tools they need to succeed, including seasoned players, a veteran coach and an all-star-calibre player in Richards who, along with fellow fifth-years Connor Santoni and Jeffrey Driediger, is looking to put his final stamp on a McMaster legacy. The Marauders themselves are not lacking in confidence.
“I love the way our guys are playing right now,” said coach Preston. “I love our style. I think we probably have another level or two left in us to play at. But the way our guys play? The style we play? The passion that we play with? It's everything a coach could ask for.”
Competition remains tough as the Marauders head into their final weekend of the OUA post-season, with the Lancers, the Gaels and the University of Toronto Varsity Blues all looking to displace the reigning champions. It all goes down March 8 and 9 in Kingston.
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Brian Decker
Executive Editor
The McMaster Marauders are off to their first Yates Cup since 2004.
McMaster beat the Queen’s Gaels 40-13 in the OUA semi-final on Saturday, running all over the nation’s top-ranked defence and earning the right to take on the Western Mustangs next weekend in London with the title of OUA Champions on the line.
Joey Cupido picked off Queen’s quarterback Ryan Mitchell four times in the first half alone – his four picks tied a CIS record – and Kyle Quinlan and the Marauders did what no other team had done all year: score a rushing touchdown against the Gaels.
“Our defence attacked and played outstanding. They jumped all over a young quarterback and made plays,” said McMaster coach Stefan Ptaszek.
For McMaster, that first touchdown was just the beginning. The Marauders got things started with a 60-yard drive that took just 2:34 to find the end zone, ending with a 6-yard Quinlan rushing TD. Cupido followed that with his first pick, leading to a Teddy Peters field goal. Then, Cupido picked off Mitchell once again, and Chris Pezzetta ran it in from 9 yards, giving Mac a 17-0 lead and giving McMaster all the separation they would need.
Pezzetta ran for 101 yards on the day, which would have been by far the largest total against Queen’s this season if Quinlan didn’t run for 96 yards – on just nine attempts – himself.
It was an impressive and unexpected display against a Queen’s defence that has hardly allowed any teams to run the ball against them this season. Queen’s came into the game allowing a paltry average of 68 rushing yards against per game, but the Marauders quickly turned the ground game in the favour, rushing for over 150 yards before halftime and 280 total.
“Joey Cupido deciding he was going to intercept every ball in the air gave us a short field and a lead and we thought we could run the ball more than teams had,” said Ptaszek. “We certainly weren’t going to try to go strength against strength and jam it down their throat, but it kind of played out a little bit that way.”
The Marauders would intercept Mitchell six times in the game, including a 58-yard touchdown return by rookie linebacker Aram Eisho.
“[Cupido]’s a competitor and tough as nails. You’re taking your chances when you throw it near him,” said Ptaszek. Despite Cupido’s early interceptions, the Gaels continued to the throw the ball in his direction – and Cupido made them pay for it.
“The fact that they kept throwing it to him, well, they kept taking chances,” said Ptaszek with a grin.
“We figured that our front four would shut down the run and they’d have to put the ball in the air and give us an opportunity to make plays,” said Cupido.
Five Marauders, including Pezzetta, Quinlan, Matt Peressini, Mike DiCroce and Joey Nemet got multiple touches running the ball.
“[Queen’s has] a good front seven, man. You can keep them off balance but we certainly weren’t going to make a living trying to jam it down their throats,” said Ptaszek.
Quinlan finished with just 214 yards passing on the day, but it was hardly necessary given the way the Marauders ran the ball. Backup pivot Marshall Ferguson, who took over punting duties from ill starter Tyler Crapigna, also completed a 13-yard pass to Tyler Loveday on a fake punt.
DiCroce led all receivers with 103 yards on the day, including a 38-yard touchdown pass where he danced around nearly the entire Queen’s secondary into the end zone.
Eisho led Mac with 7 tackles, while Frank Pankewich had 8 and a sack for the Gaels.
Gaels running back Ryan Granberg, the CIS rushing leader in the regular season, was held in check in the first half before finishing with 128 yards in the game. He was carried off the field in the fourth quarter after suffering a left leg injury.
“I think that we have a good team and we can shut down the run or the pass,” said fifth-year linebacker Ryan Chmielewski.
The win gives Mac its first Yates Cup berth since 2004. Ptaszek said there will be distractions for his players, but was confident in his ability to prepare them over the coming week.
“What I have to be careful of is that it’s a bit of a gong show now with press and media and these kids are gonna be rock stars for a little while, and you can’t distract them from the task at hand,” he said. “Given how hard it’s been for us to get to this game – we haven’t been there since ’04 – I don’t think anyone’s getting distracted.”
Western has been without their starting quarterback Donnie Marshall since he suffered a sprained ankle against York on Oct. 1.
“[Marshall] has been out four or five weeks and he’s the kind of guy who can change the game, so we have to know if he’s playing and gameplan around that,” said Cupido.
The winner of the Yates Cup will play in the Uteck Bowl against the AUS champion, with a chance to play in the Vanier Cup on the line. Chmielewski said he expects the Marauders to make it that far, but that the preparations for the Yates Cup start right away.
“We play like it’s not our last game. All of us expect to play three more weeks.
“Tomorrow we’ll be here in the morning, we’ll be running and looking at film,” said Chmielewski.
“Tomorrow it’s all about the Yates.”
