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MVB: Team celebration at Toronto, Mar. 12, 2022
Photo by Jojo Qian
1
Ryerson RYERSON 5-9, 5-8
3
Winner Toronto TORONTO 12-1, 11-1
Ryerson RYERSON
5-9, 5-8
1
Final
3
Toronto TORONTO
12-1, 11-1
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Ryerson RYERSON 25 21 19 19 (1)
Toronto TORONTO 23 25 25 25 (3)

Game Recap: Volleyball (M) | | Emile Riga

Rams battle in playoff loss to No. 4 Varsity Blues

TORONTO - The Rams men's volleyball team fell 3-1 (25-23, 21-25, 19-25, 19-25) to the No. 4 Toronto Varsity Blues on Saturday night, bowing out in the OUA quarter-finals and ending their hard fought season.

Rams first-year and outside hitter Jacob Walker recorded a game-high of 20 kills, with Blues outside hitter Evan Falardeau, ranked second in kills in the OUA this season, tallied a team-high of 17.

Blues fifth-year setter Zane Grossinger put up a game-high of 43 assists, as Rams setter Saad Shaikh tallied 39.

The opening set in front of a Goldring Centre crowd packed with fans from both Toronto schools was one that delivered, and set the precedent for a match with high energy and high level volleyball.

With both teams exchanging mighty blows at an efficient rate to start the match, the Blues led just 16-15 at the technical timeout.

With numerous timeouts being called in the later half of the set caused by runs made on both sides, it was the energetic Rams who took the first set 25-23 to shock the home fans.
 
The second set saw the veteran Blues take command, with smart and tricky hitting on the outsides and frequent uses of their middle attacker Hayden Cavender who finished with 10 kills.

The Rams on the other end were struggling with their service errors and generating kill opportunities, tallying just eight kills compared to their 13 in the first set. Leading the whole way, the Blues took the second set 25-21.

To start the third, the Rams made a collection of mistakes to go down 4-1 and stayed behind until setter Shaikh and the offence put together five straight kills including three straight by Kai Higuchi to go up 12-10.
 
As the Rams looked much stronger on offence in the third and went up 19-17, forcing a Blues timeout, it seemed to be the turning point in the game as the Blues came out of the break winning six straight points and taking the third set 25-19.

With the home crowd behind them, the Blues seemed to have taken the mental edge as they took the third set in roaring fashion and claimed a 2-1 lead.

Despite the Rams remaining focused in the fourth and going into the technical timeout trailing just 16-13, they never found a lead as the Blues began rolling and closed out the match taking the final set 25-19. 

While the Rams were underdogs coming into tonight's match, taking on a Blues team loaded with fifth-year veterans, OUA champions and a home crowd behind them, the Rams were fearless and battled all the way through.

With such a young and unified team, the Rams men's volleyball program looks extremely promising for seasons to come. 
 
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