By Josh Beneteau
The Ryerson women’s volleyball opened their season with a bang, beating the Guelph Gryphons in straight sets (25-16, 25-21, 25-15). Aside from early in the second set, Ryerson led and controlled the whole game.
“We played excellent,” Ryerson head coach Dustin Reid said. “At key points we were really good in our execution.”
The Rams quickly got up 6-2 in the first set with Veronica Livingston bringing her signature power and rookie Theanna Vernon using her 6’0 height to block the Gryphons’ attackers.
And then, an injury. Ryerson outside hitter Kristine Yan jumped up and hammered home a kill. But as she landed, her left knee gave out. She was helped off the court, with a trainer supporting her leg.
Ryerson head coach did not have an update on Yan after the game, but did say he was impressed with how his team responded to losing one of their own.
“It has to be said that to watch one of your players go down in the first set is not easy,” Reid said. “For the players to stay focused after that says a lot about our maturity.”
The team cruised through the first set after the injury, winning it on a six-point run.
The start of the second set was the only time Guelph had any life. Guelph led the set until it was tied 16-16 and then 18-18. After that, Ryerson grabbed a hold of it and completed the comeback with kills from Livongston and Emily Nicholishen.
“The chemistry on the court just felt flawless,” Nicholishen said. “When we were put in those pressure situations in the second set I think we handled it really well.”
The third set was more of the same for Ryerson as they grabbed a lead and stuck with it the whole time. The closed the match with a five-point run and was never really in danger of losing the set.
Livingston led the team 13 kills, followed by Nicholishen with seven. Emily Betteridge led the team with seven digs.
The Rams will be back in action Thursday Oct. 23 when they visit Brock.
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