CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Seventh-ranked McMaster opened their annual Innisbrook invitational holiday tournament in Florida with a pair of wins on Wednesday, including a five-set takedown of the No. 9-ranked McGill Martlets.

Day one of the four-day, five-team event began with McMaster sweeping Brock 25-13, 25-18, 25-12, then outlasted the Martlets in five sets (10-25, 25-18, 20-25, 25-21, 15-11).
 
Leading the way for McGill was Marie-Eve Dorion, who collected 14 kills, two stuff blocks and 15 digs, to go with a 1.71 passing ratio (out of 3). Teammate Myriam Robitaille also posted a solid outing with 12 kills, a pair of aces, one block and seven digs. Setter Yasmeen Dawoodjee led the way with 35 assists. She also registered two kills, an ace, one block and 19 digs

Early signs appeared troubling for the host Marauders, who fell behind 7-2 and watched McGill succeed offensively through the middle. Doubling up their opponents at the technical timeout, the Martlets embarked on a 9-2 run to complete the dominant 25-10 set victory.
 
Momentum shifted immediately to begin the second set, as McMaster jumped out to an 11-3 lead and forced McGill into their first timeout of the night. Fighting back to within a point, the Martlets coaxed a timeout before the Marauders put together another 7-1 run to even the match at 1-1.
 
Another closely-fought set saw the Martlets grab a mid-set lead in the third before Rachel Woock's steady work from the service line helped McMaster climb within two points at 16-14. That was as close as the Marauders would come, however, as the Martlets reestablished their overall lead with a 25-20 set win.
 
The turning point came with the score tied at 18-18 in the fourth set, when McMaster found the means for another late-set run, this time reeling off seven of the last 10 points to win 25-21 and force a rubber match.
 
In the final set, McGill worked back from an early deficit and forced a timeout from the Marauders with their lead down to just a single point at 12-11, before Mac won the next four points to win 15-11 and clinch their second win of the day.

Play resumes on New Year's Eve, with the Martlets and Bobcats opening the day at noon, before the Vert et Or and Marauders follow at 2 p.m. and the Badgers and Martlets conclude the day at 4 p.m.
 
McMaster's Innisbrook Invitational Holiday Tournament (@ Clearwater, FLA)

Day 1 Results
McMaster defeated  Brock 3-0 (25-13, 25-18, 25-12)
Sherbrooke defeated Brandon 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-20)
McMaster defeated McGill 3-2 (10-25, 25-18, 20-25, 25-21, 15-11)
 
SOURCE:
 
Earl Zukerman
Communications Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-398-7012 (Tel.)
m.athletics.mcgill.ca (mobile website)
www.mcgill athletics.ca
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca
@EarlZukerman (twitter)
 
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www.mcgillathletics.ca/calendar.aspx