The Windsor Lancers captured their highest achievement to date in the men's volleyball program's history on Saturday night. 
 
For the first time since their inception into the OUA in 1985-86 the blue and gold had not won anything higher than a bronze medal prior to their Saturday evening marquee match up in Hamilton against the notoriously competitive and perennial powerhouse McMaster Marauders where the Lancers played in their first ever appearance of the Forsyth Cup Finals and OUA gold medal match. 
 
Both squads were of course 2-0 in the playoffs at home prior to meeting in this battle of the best of the league's ultimate showdown.
 
Unfortunately, the Lancer squad storybook season did not include bringing home the prestigious Forsyth Cup, gold medal and first ever championship banner this season. 
 
Instead, the fate that awaited them was a heartbreaking loss resulted in the Lancers having to settle for the provincial silver medal with a tough 3-0 (14-25, 16-25, and 21-25) loss to the two-time defending champion Marauders which is something that they proudly wear on their necks returning home before heading back to the Burridge Gymnasium for the U SPORTS Nationals championships next weekend. 
 
STATS
Outside hitters Luca Nastase and Zach Albert led the way offensively for the blue and gold in the defeat with 7 kills apiece. 
 
Veteran fifth year setter Anthony DeGirolamo finished with 18 assists, one service ace, and a kill to round out his final OUA performance for the blue and gold. 
 
McMaster was led by the trio of Brendan Mills, Sam Cooper and Mateusz Wlodarski. 
 
Mills had 12 kills against the Lancers while Cooper chipped in with 11 kills of his own followed by Wlodarski who contributed with 10 kills from his hand to consistently challenge the Lancer defense throughout the contest. 
 
The Marauders setter Robbie Fujisawa dished out 24 assists in setting up his team to its second straight provincial championship in claiming the Forsyth Cup and OUA gold on home court. 
 
GAME FLOW
The first set featured a see-saw tilt between both sides in trading points early in the first set.  Despite the consistent flow of equal momentum in the early stages of the first, the Marauders would begin to unleash their fury in front of an electric home crowd that way sold out and did feature brave blue and gold fans who made the trip up to support the visitors in the Steel City. 
 
The Marauders jumped out to a 14-10 lead and did not let up after that ensuring they did not allow the Lancers to have any hope of going up 1-0 in the match as the maroon and grey established themselves offensively in ramping up a run that saw them coast to a 25-14 first set victory and 1-0 match lead. 
 
The Lancers scored the opening point of the second set and held an early lead.  Both squads would exchange points up until a 10-9 McMaster lead.
 
However, that was when the Marauders turned up the heat and persistently cruised ahead once again to regain control of the game flow breaking out a score of 16-9 before the Lancers could catch their breath to respond. 
 
The blue and gold would battle hard, but the mighty Marauders made it tough for them to overcome the established deficit and they dropped the second set to the hosts 25-16 to go down 2-0 to McMaster in the match. 
 
With a raucous crowd riled up, the Lancers had a monumental task at hand to be able to reclaim any sense of going on to capture their first ever program banner. 
 
A valiant start began the third set with the Lancers earning the first point then following up with another fight of back-and-forth points swapped.  Momentum was generated by the Lancers in attempting to overcome the adversity needed to take the third set and have a chance of coming back to restore the battle for gold once more.  
 
The McMaster Marauders saw the Windsor Lancers test them immensely down the stretch at a score as close as 22-21 McMaster.   But in the end, McMaster would hold on to earn three more points and award themselves the gold medal despite having to use their one and only timeout called in the match in the late stages of the third set to capture their second straight Forsyth Cup and the 12th OUA title in the program's history. 
 
With the loss the Lancers held their heads up high knowing they have achieved their highest milestone to date in the program's provincial history with their first ever silver medal earned solidifying themselves into the OUA record books. 
 
UP NEXT
The blue and gold's season is not over yet as they will now travel home to prepare for another trip back up to Hamilton next weekend to partake in the U SPORTS national championships. They will be one of three OUA representatives at this year's national championships which also includes the OUA bronze medalist Toronto Varsity Blues and OUA gold medalist McMaster Marauders.  Stay tuned to goLancers.ca for more updates to be provided soon regarding important information surrounding the Lancers upcoming U SPORTS nationals schedule.