TORONTO - For the second year in a row, the Ryerson Rams men's soccer team's season ended in heartbreaking fashion, as they fell 2-1 to the Toronto Varsity Blues in a shootout at Varsity Centre on Sunday afternoon in the OUA Quarter-Finals.

After taking a 1-0 lead into halftime with the Blues down a player after Mario Kovacevic was issued a red card, the Rams would surrender a second-half goal. Both teams missed a couple of opportunities to go ahead in overtime. However, Toronto would win a 4-2 triumph in penalty kicks when Blues keeper John Smits stymied two Ryerson shots.

"It was disappointing," said Soccer Co-ordinator Kevin Souter. "We came with fight, desire and hunger and they matched us all the way. It was a great battle between both teams. It's a heartbreaker to lose in penalty kicks. It's a coin toss and can go either way."

Nearly a year ago, the Rams' season ended similarly when the Western Mustangs notched a shootout victory at York University in the OUA bronze-medal match, denying Ryerson a trip to what would have been their first CIS championship. However, this time around the Rams found themselves with the extra man from the end of the first half on, whereas last year they managed to force penalties while down two men.

The victory advances the Blues to the OUA Final Four at Carleton next weekend, but for the Rams it will be a long off-season before they return to the pitch next September.

With East MVP Darragh McGee sidelined with an injury, the duty of covering East division leading scorer Viktor Anastasov (Toronto) went to central defender Scott Nesbitt. However, it was Moroccan native Zach Mahrady who would provide the early dramatics.

The rookie midfielder shocked the Blues when the ball slipped to him in front of goal following a throw-in the 14th minute. He made no mistake, quickly slipping a low, hard shot underneath Smits to give the Rams an early 1-0 lead.

James Greatorex nearly equalized when he sped through the Rams defense after a great first touch from an aerial ball. After touching the ball past Christian Maraldo (Mississauga) and toward the empty net, Markus Molder (Toronto) made an incredible sliding save to clear the ball out of play. Geoff Borgmann then unleashed a shot that soared just above the crossbar.

The game took a tense turn with nine minutes left before the half, as Ashkan Mahboubi (Pickering, Ont.) was called for a foul and then was given a yellow card for arguing the decision. After another hard foul on Vince D'Elia minutes later, Blues defender Neil D'Silva was booked as well.

In an incredible turn of events just before halftime, Kovacevic was given two yellow cards within minutes of each other, and was dispatched from the contest. After being booked for arguing a decision, the Blues striker and OUA first-team all-star was given a second and consequent red for a hard tackle on Michael Jan (Toronto).

A fiery first-half would finally end, and the teams went into their respective change-rooms with the Rams up 1-0. Souter explained that while being down a man does put a team at a disadvantage it also raises the spirit of the squad, and Toronto showed just that in the second half, coming hard at Ryerson.

Greatorex nearly found the tying marker with a touch inches from goal, but the ball took a fortunate deflection off a Rams defender and out of danger.

Maraldo then launched a massive kick diagonally across the field to an oncoming Jamie Baker (Aurora, Ont.) who let a shot go from the top of the box that went over the net. Mahrady appeared to have found the insurance marker in the 57th minute, but his tally was called back due to the offside flag being raised.

That would turn out to be a factor, as Toronto found a way back in the 65th minute on a throw-in that Jesse Assing fired past Maraldo and into the back of the net, notching the game 1-1.

Maraldo had to respond quickly, stopping a shot from Jermaine Burrell after the speedy forward zipped down the left side.

Neither team found the goal in the last 10 minutes and the game headed into overtime.

The Rams garnered the first opportunity in the extra period, after Anastasov headed the ball to Armin Tankovic (Mississauga), who sent a sharp pass across the goal that was nailed over the goal by Mahrady.

The Blues were starting to tire after playing with only 10 men for close to an hour, and the Rams were able to sustain pressure, leading to a dangerous free kick after D'Elia (Vaughan, Ont.) was felled just outside the box. However, Martin Dabrowkski (Barrie, Ont.) could not make good on the attempt.

Toronto answered back, earning two consecutive corner kicks and a free kick 10 yards out from the top of the penalty area. However, they couldn't connect on all three.

The best chance for either team to go ahead in overtime was after a D'Elia cross was headed to a wide open Baker from Anastasov. With an open cage and Smits scrambling but out of the play, Baker tried getting a foot on the high ball, but couldn't touch it inside the right post.

The Blues missed an opportunity at the other end after Greatorex made a great move to beat two Rams defenders before crossing the ball that forced Maraldo to make a crucial stop off a Toronto header. Borgmann nailed the ball of the crossbar minutes later, but the offside flag went up again to save the Rams from the Blues pressure.

In penalty kicks, the Rams went down initially after Jan was stopped by Smits. However, Maraldo stymied Borgmann and captain Dimitri Karopoulos (Scarborough, Ont.) put his kick away to even the game at 2-2.

However, Adrian Mancini (Richmond Hill, Ont.) was denied by Smits and Ryan Sciacchitano would put the Blues through to the Final Four with the final kick of the shootout.

Souter is happy with the season overall, and has confidence in the program moving forward after the men notched a program record eight victories this fall.

"We're proud of our season," said Souter. "The Final Four was our goal this year, and we fell a little bit short. I think we're going to be just as strong if not stronger next year."