Mac prepares to finish strong

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After 18 regulation matches and 17 wins, the Marauders are exactly where they want to be.

They are in first place in the OUA, they’re ranked no.1 in the country, and they are hosting the OUA Final Four championships for the fourth season in a row.

“Our first goal was to secure home-court throughout the playoffs, and we did that, so once we clinched against Guelph, that was a good thing for us,” said head coach Dave Preston.

While the Marauders still have two regulation matches to get through against the Queen’s Gaels and RMC Paladins, both of those games will be in the Burridge Gym heading into the bye-week, which Preston believes to be an advantage for the team.

“I think every time we get to play at home is special. Playing in front of your family and friends, and more importantly the people you represent, it means a lot for our guys to wear that name on their uniform, so anytime we get to play in the Burridge Gym, it means a lot” said Preston.

The match at home against Queen’s will also have added value, as it will be the last home game for seniors Jori Mantha and Austin Campion-Smith.

Mantha and Campion-Smith have put in five solid years of hard work and time into the Marauders volleyball program, and their investment into McMaster University and being a Marauder will be recognized at Seniors’ Night on Feb. 7.

“Anytime you’re changing chapters in your life, it’s an emotional and very engaging time,” said Preston.

“So these matches mean as much to anybody, but a little bit more for [Jori] Mantha and [Austin] Campion-Smith.”

As that night is sure to be an emotional one, the Marauders have been working on balancing their technical game plans and emotional attachment in order to be as effective on the court as possible.

Preston uses the term “dialed-in” to describe the Marauders state at this point in the season.

“The two areas that we really want to dial-in are our tactical and technical game plans, and our emotional attachment. And I think we’ve done a pretty good job at managing both of those for most of the season,” said Preston.

Two other terms that Preston drills home for the team is simplicity and repeatability, which are two big things the Marauders have been practicing effectively so far.

“The success of how we do things is simple. It’s not easy, but it’s simple. So we don’t get consumed by the extra stuff around it, we do what we do, and we do it really, really well on a repeatable basis.”

Right now, the Marauders are in the middle of a three-week taper, where they are training at a lower volume, but at a higher intensity, so that after the bye-week, they can ramp it up for the OUA Championships.

While the vibe in the dressing room remains positive heading into championship season, the Marauders leadership council is making sure that no one on the team is getting too far ahead of themselves.

“We’ve experienced a silver and bronze medal in nationals in the last two years that provides us with a reminder of ‘look, it’s not that easy,’” said Preston.

Although Mac is heavily favoured to win the OUA Championships, Preston is reminded by experience that in sports, anything can happen—what counts is hard work and practice, which the Marauders have been doing for almost six months now.

“It’s sport, there are no guarantees, and everything can happen in a split second change. But your preparation is fully under control and we’re taking care of that, so our guys are on it. I have full faith, and so do they.”

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