KINGSTON, Ont. (November 27, 2015)- The Queen's Gaels women's volleyball team fell to the CIS No. 9 ranked McMaster Marauders on Friday night at the Athletics and Recreation Centre (ARC) by a score of 3-0 (25-18, 26-24, 25-19).
 
Caroline Livingston and Victoria Wensley each tallied team-bests of five kills, while Livingston picked up a total of 7.5 points for the Gaels. Becky Wilson (Pickering, Ont.) dug up a team-high 13 balls, while setter Franzi Wilhelm notched 15 assists in the loss. Joanna Jedrezjewska recorded a game-high 12 kills and 16 points in the win for McMaster.
 
GAME FLOW
The Marauders jumped out to a 5-0 lead, but the hosts responded with a run of their own to even the game at 6-6 early in the opening set. McMaster was able to steadily build a four-point advantage, however, going into the technical timeout up 16-12.
 
Queen's looked to make up the deficit coming out of the timeout, as middle Niki Slikboer (Seagrave, Ont.) took a quick set and put it down to energize the hosts. After Shannon Neville (Cambridge, Ont.) picked up a kill, the Marauders sent their attack long, and the lead was down to a single point. That seemed to re-energize the visitors, who flexed their offensive muscles by going on a 6-0 to draw first blood in the match.
 
After the women went down early for the second set in a row, Head Coach Michael Ling took a timeout with his team down 3-0. The break did not hamper the Marauders, who strung together a 9-3 run after the timeout, which included a couple of aces from Jedrejewska, and built a commanding eight-point lead at the technical.
 
Caitie Poxon (Oshawa, Ont.) tried to rally the home side, coming up with a big block on McMaster's left side attack. Wilhelm (Lichtenstein, Germany) then made a difficult sliding set to Livingston (Kelowna, B.C.) for the kill. The Gaels tide continued to accelerate as two aces from Danielle Blumenrath sandwiched another Queen's block that evened the match. The women overtook the Marauders on another ace from the Burlington, Ont. native, and earned a set point and an opportunity to even the match.
 
Unfortunately, after a serve error brought the Marauders even, Taylor Brisebois notched consecutive aces, allowing the Marauders to escape the second set with a 2-0 match lead.
 
Despite some good defence from the Gaels, McMaster was able to hold a slight lead early in the third set. After the Marauders spread the lead, a mini-run by the hosts that included a service ace that painted the back-line from Wilhelm brought the lead down to three.
 
McMaster came alive soon after, however, taking seven of the next eight points to take a strange-hold on the third set and the match. The women managed to shake off four-straight match points behind the strong serving of Kylie Butler, but the Marauders ended the match on their fifth opportunity, improving to 6-1 on the season. The Gaels fall to 4-5 in conference play thus far this season.
 
FINAL SAY
"We came in well prepared and knew what they were going to try to do to us," said Ling. "We had a plan ourselves to attack them, and there were moments where it looked like we were good offensively. But those good plays didn't last for long enough. And when the other time is firing on all cylinders, it makes it tough to defend. It's going to be gut-check time tomorrow night, and we have to make sure we come back with a good fight against a big opponent as well. Our service game has to be tougher, and we have to clean up the mistakes and the communication."
 
BY THE NUMBERS
3- Aces by Danielle Blumenrath, a team-high
38- Total kills by the Marauders, compared to 22 by the Gaels
7- McMaster is on a seven-game win-streak after the victory over Queen's
 
UP NEXT
The Gaels will be back in action Saturday evening when they host the Waterloo Warriors at the ARC. Game-time is set for 6:00 p.m.