TORONTO — After giving up the first set to the York Lions in their first clash of the season, the No. 2 Ryerson Rams would claim three straight sets to take a 3-1 (20-25, 25-19, 25-21, 27-25) victory on Wednesday night at the Tait McKenzie Centre in Toronto. 

Ryerson's Cailin Wark (Georgetown, Ont.) led the team with 14 kills, three service aces and 18.0 points through four sets. 

The Rams' play in the first set was uncharacteristically sloppy. The Lions came out strong and pulled ahead with a 6-0 lead early in the match, capitalizing on the Rams' inability to side out in the opening moments of the game. York steadily increased their lead as the set went on and continuously exposed all kinds of holes on the Rams' backcourt. Ryerson made a late attacking push that narrowed York's lead down to four, but the team's late-set efforts were ill-timed as the Lions eventually took the first set 25-20. 

Several lineup changes to start the second set saw Rams setter Alli Pauls (Winnipeg, Man.) make her OUA debut, going on to collect 31 assists in the remaining three sets of the match. Outside hitter Jasmine Rivest (Montreal, Que.) also took to the court for the second time this season and provided a burst of energy in the frontcourt. 

The Rams would come out much stronger in the second set, but York kept the game close until just a few points after the technical. Ryerson pulled away with a six-point lead to close the second, taking a 25-19 win to tie the game at one set apiece. 

The Rams would fight their way to a 25-21 win in the third set, heading into the fourth with a chance to seal the deal against their cross-town opponents. 

They did just that. Similarly to the second and third sets, the teams were neck-in-neck until just before the technical. The Lions would put on the pressure late in the match as a last-ditch attempt to hold off the Rams, but Ryerson ultimately took the fourth set 27-25 to earn the 3-1 victory. 

Libero Sam Cyrille (Scarborough, Ont.) led the Rams with 22 digs on the evening, establishing a new career-high in the win over York. 

The Rams will be back in action on Friday night against the Nipissing Lakers. First serve flies at 6:00 p.m. from North Bay.