Banner Season: Marauders win third straight Forsyth Cup following five-set thriller with Queen’s
Hamilton, Ont. (via McMaster Marauders) – The No. 4 ranked team in U SPORTS, the McMaster Marauders completed the three-peat, securing a third straight OUA Championship title at home on Friday night.
The Marauders battled to a 3-2 victory of the visiting Queen’s Gaels, ranked fifth in U SPORTS. The Marauders and Gaels split their two meetings during the OUA regular season and, both squads entered today’s Forsyth Cup Final with two playoff wins under their belts.
Brendan Mills, a 2024 OUA First Team All-Star was a difference maker for the Marauders. The third year outside hitter led the maroon and grey on the offense with 18 kills for a .433 percentage. He also added one service ace. Defensively, Mills recorded three blocks, including one solo. Ottawa local, Maxime Gratton, also a First Team All-Star, had a big game, totaling 15 kills and added two service aces in the match. Setter, Robbie Fujisawa, recorded 40 assists to lead the Marauders in that category, while contributing one service ace and six digs in the victory.
For the Gaels, Erik Siksna, the 2024 OUA Player of the Year, led the Queen’s attack with 13 kills. Chris Zimmerman ran the offense, recording 35 assists in the season finale. Izaak Zabjek led the visitors in blocks with three.
Queen’s scored the opening point of the game but McMaster went toe-to-toe with the visitors and after exchanging points for much of the first set, it was the hosts that rolled to a 25-18 Set 1 victory.
The Marauders started quick out of the gates in Set 2 but after a service error by McMaster, both teams were deadlocked at 10-10. From there, the Gaels went on s 10-6 run and never looked back to take the second set 25-22.
Set 3 was a battle with the two squads exchanging points but it was Queen’s that took the 2-1 set advantage by a tight 25-23 scoreline.
With the game on the line, the Marauders came out to fight in the fourth. McMaster got out to a 5-0 lead to force a timeout by Queen’s. The hosts went on a 9-5 run from there and were never challenged, cruising to a 25-21 victory to force a fifth and deciding set.
The score was close throughout the final set but, ultimately, Maxime Gratton’s service ace secured the victory – 15-12 – to earn their third straight OUA banner and Forsyth Cup.
The atmosphere in Burridge was loud with the sold out crowd fully behind the Marauders, ensuring the maroon and grey felt the home court advantage.
Both teams will return to the court next week, along with six other teams from across the nation, for the 2024 U SPORTS Men’s Volleyball Championship hosted in Kingston by the Gaels. Quarterfinal action will get underway on Thursday.
