Coming off a big season with five key graduating members, the sense of urgency has kicked in for a team hungry to wreak havoc
The Marauders women’s basketball officially ended their season with 16 wins and five losses, but are coming off a streak of 15 wins in their last 17 games, and have only gotten better as time has passed. Their final two games of the season proved the capabilities of the team, showcasing their talents.
The Marauders downed the Waterloo Warriors on Feb. 17 in a 20-point victory and the Toronto Varsity Blues on Feb. 18 in the way of a 21-point victory. Sarah Gates and Jenna Button played a key role in these victories, Button putting up 25 points, and Gates putting up 36 (23 at half) against UofT. Gates, McMaster’s single game points record holder and all time points record holder, also put up 41 against the Warriors.
“Both of those games were such solid team wins. Everyone got on the floor [and] contributed in some way. When our team is working so well together, it’s easy individually to succeed, and we saw that. . . This is the perfect bounce back from our TMU loss from a couple weekends ago. We use it as a motivator going into the playoffs, and a reminder that we can’t take our foot off the gas,” said Gates.
"This is the perfect bounce back from our TMU loss from a couple weekends ago. We use it as a motivator going into the playoffs, and a reminder that we can’t take our foot off the gas."
Sarah Gates, Women's Basketball Team & Canadian Leading Scorer
Gates has been the team centerpiece all season long, having led all of Canada in points per game, even having surpassed the next leading scorer by nearly 5 PPG, but she wasn’t the only member of the team to find the national leaderboards, as Mia Spadafora led the nation in three point percentage.
“I’m so proud of Mia, that’s something that she’s been striving for. We’ve all known that she’s an amazing shooter. I think that seeing this statistic helps her really believe it, and going into the playoffs, that’s huge. . . It’s really awesome seeing both of us up there,” explained Gates.
The team has been firing on all cylinders lately, but that comes after a somewhat spotty start to the season where they only won once in their first four matchups. However, those games may have proven to be some of the most valuable to the team, especially having come to early on.
“We’ve been on such a good rise. Even in those first games, I know they were losses, but we were learning, growing each game. I think it’s something that our team has been doing so well with regardless of the score at the end of the game. . . That shift in our mindset will give us a great advantage going into the playoffs. We’re ready, we’ve growth throughout this season,” said Gates.
The success for the team comes as a big deal in what was an extremely quick rebuild turnaround for the team. After what was expected to be a down year in 2021-2022, the team still managed to finish with 10 wins and seven losses, surpassing what most expected of them. Despite having provided some resistance in the playoffs, they were eliminated in their second round matchup. The team has been working to improve on that ever since, and their regular season record suggests the realism in that goal.
“Last year [people] thought it was a rebuilding year, we were doing really well but didn’t quite get that outcome towards the end of playoffs. That sucked in the moment, but it was such a fuel to the fire going into a huge offseason. . . It was the discipline and motivation that we had in the offseason that kept us rolling this year. It’s unfinished business,” explained Gates.
"That sucked in the moment, but it was such a fuel to the fire going into a huge offseason. . . It was the discipline and motivation that we had in the offseason that kept us rolling this year. It’s unfinished business."
Sarah Gates
The team will kick off their playoff run on Feb. 25 in Burridge Gym, at home against the Guelph Gryphons. Their last matchup against the 17 win and six loss Gryphons resulted in a final score of 82-73, in favor of the Gryphons on Nov. 30, so it should be a very competitive matchup.
A fiery start for the McMaster men's volleyball team yields their fourth consecutive win
The McMaster University men’s volleyball team continues to impress. The reigning provincial champions and U Sports national contenders finished strong against the Waterloo Warriors for a perfect record of four wins and zero losses on Nov. 12.
The early season success comes with little surprise considering McMaster’s perfect regular season record the year prior and an experienced core unit with returning players such as outside hitter, Sam Cooper, and middle, Tyler Pavelic. Both players came up big in McMaster’s most recent four-set victory over the Warriors.
The Marauders swiftly won the first set by a score of 25-20. However, the team lost their initial momentum early into the second set. Despite fighting back from a McMaster time-out, the red and grey team lost the set 23-25.
“I think we started off strong, we were doing everything we said we were going to do. Second set, they came out firing and I think we let off a little bit. Right there, it was clear we had to switch it up,” said Pavelic.
With McMaster landing fewer defensive blocks than usual and a crafty Warriors offence, the team sought to make some changes. The Marauders were able to adapt with a few in-game adjustments and finished with a strong second half.
“After that set, I think we just picked [the energy] up, we just communicated more about what we needed to do before the whistle even blew. At that point, we were able to build some more momentum into that set,” explained Cooper.
"After that set, I think we just picked [the energy] up, we just communicated more about what we needed to do before the whistle even blew. At that point, we were able to build some more momentum into that set,"
Sam Cooper, Outside Hitter
McMaster won the third set by a large margin of 25-16 and ran with the momentum to a final set score of 25-18 for an emphatic finish. Cooper led the team’s offensive effort with 13 total kills or unreturned attacks. Pavelic finished with four defensive blocks and six offensive kills. Returning players, Maxime Gratton and Mateusz Wlodarski, also came up big on the offensive end.
Despite the perfect record thus far, the McMaster team remains level-headed. The team still has a long season ahead of them with 18 scheduled games, including two exhibition games against Long Beach State University.
“We’re trying to stay realistic. We’re obviously happy about our wins and that’s what we’re looking to do – win as much, secure as much home court advantage as possible – but also trying to keep the balance of not getting too cocky so we’re ready for any opponent. We prepare the exact same for every opponent that we take on,” said Cooper.
McMaster continues to level up their defensive and offensive strategies with a focus on high-ball attacking, service pressure, service reception, small-ball defence and block defence. With most of their games taking place over the weekend, the team can regroup and identify areas of improvement during the week.
“It’s definitely a good feeling to go undefeated so far. I think we just got to keep learning from our mistakes, what’s not going well and kind of fix it throughout the week and be able to execute it on the weekends so we can come out and continue on that pace run,” explained Pavelic.
“It’s definitely a good feeling to go undefeated so far. I think we just got to keep learning from our mistakes, what’s not going well and kind of fix it throughout the week and be able to execute it on the weekends so we can come out and continue on that pace run.”
Tyler Pavelic, Middle
There’s lots more in store for this McMaster team and its fans. Looking ahead, McMaster is on the road for two away games against Toronto Metropolitan University on Nov. 18 and Brock University on Nov. 20. The fan-favourite team will return on Nov. 25 for a six-game home stand.
To keep up with the team, visit their website or Instagram. Students of McMaster University can attend games free of charge in Burridge Gym, only needing their student cards for entry.
The Marauders split a doubleheader with the Brock Badgers to finish their season with a losing record
The McMaster University fastpitch team concluded their season with a high-scoring doubleheader split against the Brock Badgers on Oct. 15 at Victoria Park. The maroon and gray team took the first of the two games with a 12 to eight score before losing the second game seven to 10.
After the homestand, the team finished their year with a record of seven wins and 13 losses. Through their 20 game season the Marauders struggled to find consistency with both their offense and pitching.
On Sep. 18 against the Carleton Ravens, the team won consecutive games following a torrent display of batting. Scoring a total of 38 runs across the doubleheader, McMaster claimed back-to-back victories with a 16 to two score win in the first game and a 22 to one game in the second. However, the team would go on to be shutout over their next three matches, giving up 34 overall runs and double digit scores against the Western Mustangs and Windsor Lancers.
From Oct. 2 and Oct. 8, the Marauders faced their worst losing streak of the season, dropping five straight games to slide further in the Ontario University Softball rankings. Even with the Brock split, McMaster was unable to qualify for the OUS championship, missing their mark by a three game margin below the Lancers and Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks. In the end, the team tied with the Waterloo Warriors for fifth in the West Division standings after collecting 14 points.
For the year, the team allowed 158 runs to their opposition, the second worst mark in the league. Scoring 105 runs during the campaign, the Marauder’ run differential of -53 ranked the third worst overall behind Guelph (-118) and Carleton (-140), contributing to their difficulties in keeping games within competitive reach.
Scoring 105 runs during the campaign, the Marauder’ run differential of -53 ranked the third worst overall behind Guelph (-118) and Carleton (-140), contributing to their difficulties in keeping games within competitive reach.
When paired against their division rivals, the team ended up with an identical home and away record of two wins and six losses. For the overall year, McMaster fought their way to a win percentage of 35 per cent, improving upon their previous season’s total of 28.6 per cent alongside a record of four wins and 10 losses.
Despite the down year, bright spots emerged for the Marauders within their lineup. Pitcher and utility player Rhianna Guennel, who was named the one of the two top batters in the OUS in 2021, earned league all-star honours at the end of the season. Along with Guennel, rookie Paige Allen, who played third base, first base and the outfield, also received the all-star nod.
In her fifteenth year playing the sport, co-captain Alexis Crego discussed the hardships of enduring the season’s dense 20 game schedule.
“I’ve played in tournaments on my own travel teams, but never to this extent. . .You only get so much time so you have to mentally bounce back after every loss or every struggle,” said Crego.
“I’ve played in tournaments on my own travel teams, but never to this extent. . .You only get so much time so you have to mentally bounce back after every loss or every struggle,”
Alexis Crego, Co-Captain of the McMaster Fastpitch Team
From their first series against the Ottawa Gee-Gees before their two games with Brock, the Marauders played doubleheaders on back-to-back days every week from Sep. 17 to Oct. 8. This includes a set of three consecutive doubleheaders played on Sep. 30, Oct. 1 and Oct. 2.
Going forward, Crego believes this year will be pivotal in the development of her teammates and overall cohesion as a group.
“When our season is so short, I do think that the more we get to practice and the more we see each other as a team. . . We’ll definitely improve in communication and defensively as well.
Fielding eight rookies on their roster, the team looks ahead to 2023 with playoff ambitions following key experience and growth for its first-year players.
In a very one-sided game against the Waterloo Warriors, the Marauders gain momentum moving into homecoming weekend
Photo: Graphic request made week prior
McMasters football team kicked off their Ontario University Athletics regular season with a dreadful losing streak. With their first three games all ending up as losses, they found themselves at the bottom of the OUA standings — an unfamiliar position for a team who is only one season removed from their provincial championship run.
Making matters even worse for the Marauders, their second game of the year, a 39 to one win over York, was overturned due to a player registration violation committed by the McMaster team. As a direct result, the football team started their season with three games and three losses.
On the weekend of Sep. 17, the Marauders rebounded with an impressive win over the Waterloo Warriors. With a final line score of 43 to zero, the team finally showed what they can do. It appears that despite the poor start, they have not given up.
In all four quarters of the game, the Marauders dominated. The first quarter ended 14 to zero, the second 24 to zero, the third 34 to zero and finally ended with the 43 to zero score.
Last season the Marauders dominated the Warriors with a 34-13 final score but they took it to a whole new level this time around, increasing their win margin by a whopping 22 points. It was also the first time that the Warriors had been shutout since 2016.
This successful game should be a confidence booster for the Marauders, though there are still some challenging games ahead for the team, making them one to watch this season.
By Lucas Uggenti
A regular season that saw many highs and lows for the McMaster men’s soccer team is nearing an end, concluding yet another mediocre year in which the talented group finished third in their conference. This has grown to become a bit of a disappointment as the group has set expectations much higher than where they finished.
For a second-straight year, McMaster has finished third, a few points out of the top spot, which was somewhere the team believed they deserved to be. Ultimately, the team’s goal is an Ontario University Athletics championship, which would give them a berth into the national U Sports tournament.
This goal is still not out of the question, but McMaster will need to find a way to beat the inconsistent bug that has plagued the team for much of the season. Inconsistency has been the team’s Achilles’ heel early on in the season, but the Marauders have found ways to survive in games, squeaking out big points when necessary. This has come much to the chagrin of head coach Dino Perri.
“It was a pretty inconsistent season,” said Perri. “Because we had a young team, we were able to compete with the best in the league, while also dropping points to teams at the bottom of the table. That’s inconsistency.”
McMaster started the season off hot, winning their first three games, outscoring their opponents 8-2 during that stretch. Unfortunately, the Marauders hit a bump in the road only managing to muster five points out of possible 18 in their next six matches; they went 1-3-2 in that stretch.
“Our biggest strength is that we are a team,” Perri said. “There are many individuals on this roster that are capable of stepping up into the spotlight and playing well. Although we have good depth, consistency is something we lack, which hurts us.”
Hoping to play to their strengths as a team and build off of some bad performances, something sparked the Marauders as they found new life late in the season.
Following an inspired 1-1 draw against the defending champions, the York University Lions, McMaster then went on a tear, winning five of their next six games, including a 2-2 tie with the Wilfred Laurier University Golden Hawks.
This could not have come at a better time for McMaster, as the OUA playoffs are right around the corner. The Marauders’ expectations remain as high as they once were, accepting nothing less than a championship.
“Hopefully, we learned from our mistakes throughout the course of the season and build off this little hot run we’ve had late,” Perri said. "Anything can happen in the playoffs.”
In their annual season-ending games against the Algoma University Thunderbirds, the Marauders ended their season on a high note with back-to-back wins to finish with a 9-3-4 record. Powered by a Dusan Kovacevic hat-trick, the Marauders won their first game in Sault Ste. Marie in a 5-3 comeback. They followed that performance with a clean sheet, beating the Thunderbirds 6-0 on the back of freshman defender Miles Green’s four goals.
Men's Soccer -- FINAL: Dusan Kovacevic completed a hat trick late, as the Marauders scored three goals in the final five minutes to snatch all three points in Sault Ste. Marie. #GoMacGo pic.twitter.com/Kj0dywrs2a
— McMaster Athletics (@McMasterSports) 20 October 2018
McMaster finished the season in third place in the OUA West division, earning a first-round playoff match up against the University of Waterloo Warriors. This marks the first game of the playoffs for the Marauders, as they hope to forget about their inconsistent season and focus on what their future holds.
McMaster has the talent, the coaching and the right mentality to compete for a championship, and can only really defeat themselves by remaining inconsistent.
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While many of us were “studying” (it’s fine if you didn’t study, no judgement here) this past reading week, many McMaster athletes were busy competing in their last few regular season games. Here are four key things you may have missed during the reading week.
1. The Mac women’s rugby team started their reading week off on fire, defeating the Wilfred Laurier University Golden Hawks 109-0 in their Ontario University Athletics quarter-final playoff game on Oct. 5. Unfortunately for them, their championship dreams came to an end less than a week later, when they played the Queen’s University Gaels. Scoring their first try in the seventh minute, the Gaels pulled away with a 29-24 victory. But the season is not over yet for Mac. They will host the Brock University Badgers for one last game to determine who will win the OUA bronze medal, this Friday night at Ron Joyce Stadium. [spacer height="20px"]
2. The Marauders football team started off their reading week on a good note, finding themselves back in the U Sports top 10 rankings at No. 9, following a three-game winning streak. With the return of running back Justice Allin, the Marauders just managed to pull away with a win against the Gaels on Oct. 5. Their hopes of extending their streak to four weeks came to an end after the University of Waterloo Warriors outlasted them in a 34-16 loss. Up next, their last game of the season will be against the University of Windsor Lancers this Saturday at 1:00 pm.
#OUA FBALL
2nd and long? No problem for @McMasterSports, as Andreas Dueck connects with Tommy Nield for the first down and more to put the visitors up 11-9 over the @WlooWarriors!#WeAreONE | #MACvsWAT pic.twitter.com/uKnzlItpSf
— OUA (@OUAsport) 13 October 2018
3. The McMaster men’s cross-country team entered the national rankings at number two during the break, while the women secured the ninth-place spot. The Marauders hosted the Bayfront Open for the second time during the weekend, and saw success once again. Leading the pack, the men’s team won the team title by a 29-point margin, while the women took home bronze.[spacer height="20px"]
4. Both the men and women’s soccer teams remained dominant during the break. The men beat the Badgers 1-0 on Oct. 6, while the women beat them 2-1. By the end of the game, women’s forward Stephanie Roberts became the province’s fourth-leading scorer, with a total of nine goals, just two behind the OUA-leader, Gaels’ Jenny Wolever. The following weekend, the women were able to tie their match against the Waterloo Warriors 1-1, while the men dominated the Warriors in a 3-1 victory.
Men's Soccer -- The Marauders put three past the Warriors on Alumni Day Saturday, keeping hold of third in the @OUAsport West. #GoMacGo https://t.co/BlAirhYopI
— McMaster Athletics (@McMasterSports) 14 October 2018
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McMaster University Homecoming is always an exciting game for both the players and the fans. Big crowds, big games and big wins are always guaranteed. This year the 1-2 Marauders will face the 0-2 University of Toronto Varsity Blues. But before we get to the action, here are some of the most exciting moments from the past five Homecoming wins to get you pumped up for the upcoming game!
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