Marauder volleyball teams head to CIS nationals

The Marauders have had hardly any time to let their OUA Championship wins sink in.

Just a couple of days after the men's volleyball team's big win against Western - a game they took to four sets - the Maroon and Grey boarded a flight to Calgary, where they will prepare to battle in the biggest tournament of their season, and possibly their lives. The women's team also took OUA gold and will compete in nationals in Regina from Feb. 28 to March 2.

McMaster men's volleyball is currently ranked No. 1 overall in the CIS, and in the national championship tournament that takes place Feb. 27 - March 1. They will attempt to live up to expectations, and come back to McMaster University victorious.

The Marauder men will attempt to keep their momentum from the OUA Championships, which saw the Maroon and Grey face some fierce playoff competition in both the Ryerson Rams and Western Mustangs.

In the semi-final game against the Rams, the Marauders got off to a slow start in the first set, but made up for it in the remainder of the set and the match. They took the match easily in three sets (25-22, 25-19, 25-10).

The OUA final was a different story. The Marauders and Western Mustangs have an intense rivalry, as the Mustangs always manage to fight hard until the very end of every match against them. In their two match-ups this season, the Mustangs have taken the Marauders to five sets.

In this particular match, however, the Marauders were able to hold off the Mustangs to four sets (25-16, 21-25, 25-19, 25-15), and win the match, to capture their second consecutive OUA Championship title.

In order to peak for the tournament, Coach Preston has outlined a strict training regimen for the team to follow, which saw them ramp up their training in the week before the OUA Championships, before winding it down the week of the championships.

The Maroon and Grey will now coast into the CIS Championships, and will have had the opportunity to practice in the Jack Simpson Gym at the University of Calgary for a couple of days before their first game on Feb. 27.

The other teams that will be competing for a national championship include the Alberta Golden Bears, the Trinity Western Spartans, The Calgary Dino’s, The Dalhousie Tigers, Montreal Carabins, Western Mustangs, and Laval Rouge et Or - a team that the Marauders are very familiar with from last year’s CIS Championships, that saw them win the final match against the Maroon and Grey to take the national title.

After a successful season that saw the Marauders work exceptionally hard to come out on top, the CIS Championships is sure to be a battle that Mac will rise to the occasion for. The men's first match will take place Feb. 27 at 8 p.m. MST. The women will take on Laval on Feb. 28 at 8 p.m. MST.