KINGSTON, Ont. (November 7, 2009) – Playing like they were on a mission, the No. 4 Queen's Gaels defeated the No. 9 McMaster Marauders by the score of 32-6 to earn a berth in the 102nd Yates Cup.

Queen's will host the Yates Cup next Saturday (Nov. 14) at 1:00pm. They will take on the Western Mustangs who defeated the Wilfrid Laureir Golden Hawks 26-16 in the other OUA semifinal on Saturday evening. Tickets for the Yates Cup are now on sale by calling 613-533-2500.

The win earns Queen's its first Yates Cup appearance since 2002 when McMaster topped the Gaels 33-19. Next week's game also marks the first time the Kingston has hosted the Yates Cup since 1978 – that year the Gaels were a perfect 10-0 and marched to one of its three Vanier Cup titles.

With the wind at their backs to start the game, the Gaels took full advantage putting up 13 points on the Marauders. Six of those points came off of conceded safeties by McMaster after the Gaels defence pinned them deep in their end.

The defence also contributed to the Gaels first touchdown of the game as Matt Vickers of Stittsville, Ont., picked off McMaster quarterback Kyle Quinlan of South Woodslee, Ont. at the McMaster 35-yard line midway through the opening quarter. Five plays later, Marty Gordon of Kingston, Ont., punched the ball in from one yard out.

The Gaels would extend their lead to 20 when McMaster punter Michael DiCroce of Hamilton, Ont., fumbled a snap and was forced to fall on the ball at his own 22-yard line. This time, the Gaels turned to running back Jimmy Therrien of Montreal, to get them across the goal line.

Queen's defence would continue to come up big for the remainder of the half as they twice stopped McMaster from finding the end zone. Holding them to a single field goal at the end of the second quarter, Queen's took a 20-3 lead into the half.

Queen's would put the game out of reach early in the third quarter when quarterback Danny Brannagan of Burlington, Ont., rolled out and ran the ball in for a one yard score, despite McMaster having 13 men on the field.

Offensively, the Gaels were led by the running back duo of Therrien and Gordon who combined for 146-yards and two touchdowns on the afternoon. Therrien secured 89-yards with one touchdown while Gordan had 57 yards and the other major.

Brannagan was 12 for 25 for 161-yards passing while Qulian was 12 of 36 for 185 yards.

On the defensive side of the ball, rush ends Osie Ukwuoma of Mississauga, Ont., and Shomari Williams of Brampton, Ont., wreaked havoc on the Marauders backfield as they combined for 12 tackles and two sacks.

Notes: Queen's last hosted a conference final in 1997 (Dunsmore Cup)… Defensive Tackle John Miniaci's (Toronto) interception in the second quarter was the first of his CIS career… The Gaels defence held McMaster without a touchdown in both meetings this season… Attendance at the game was 2,438.