By James Mirtle
| Men’s soccer |
| C+ Record: 3 wins, 7 losses Games remaining: none |
Talk about frustrating. The Ryerson men’s soccer team was 3-3 at one point this season, resting nicely atop their division. That, of course, was before they droppd four straight games, including the do-or-die finale against McMaster. So why a decent grade despite the season-ending flop? Well, this team gave Ryerson sports fans one thing they are desperate for: Hope. Things eventually went awry after a 1-0 loss to the University of Toronto, but a triumph over York University earlier was a major coup. Striker Radu Melnic was leading the league in scoring, and Patrick Santoro potted four goals in his first games to snag OUA Player of the Week – the first time a Ryerson athlete has won. Goaltender Eric Waisman was also solid all year between the white pipes. Three Rams players were selected as OUA all-stars: Melnic, captain Brook Azezew and Pedram Eynolhagh. The future for Ryerson soccer is looking pretty promising. |
| Women’s soccer |
| D- Record: 0 wins, 10 losses Games remaining: none |
Sure, they didn’t win a game and scored three goals all season. It’d be easy to give them an F. The thing is, this year was actually a remarkable improvement over years past for the team. The Rams allowed 17 fewer goals-an astounding number considering the season is 10 games. Failing a team that kept 1.7 goals a game out of their net wouldn’t be fair. Yes, the team’s offence was anemic, but they were rarely blown out. Kudos to new coach Peyvant Mossavat for bringing respectability to the team’s boxscores. |
| Badminton |
| B Record: 1 win, 4 losses Games remaining: none |
If any team was misrepresented by their record this season, it was this one. In their final match of the season, Ryerson lost 7-6 to an undefeated team from Western. The team was particularly impressive in their lone victory, an 11-2 dusting of U of T. Two of their losses came while superstar rookie Joycelyn Ko was at the World Jr. Championships. Her presence alone would have meant wins. Both Ko – who was voted OUA rookie of the year – and Sherman Lam went undefeated in singles action this year. |
| Men’s basketball |
| D Record: 0 wins, 6 losses Games remaining: 16 |
OK, so it’s a little early to be giving them a grade (we ran a season preview two weeks ago). That said, things have gone somewhat predictably so far. There have been some highlights (rookie guard Geoff Proctor sits 14th in league scoring with an average of 15 points per game) and low lights (this weekend’s 78-48 loss to Guelph comes to mind), but for the most part the team has been competitive. Consistency will be a key for the rest of the year. On Friday night near the half, the Rams held a five point lead over Brock – a team ranked fifth in the country-before running out of steam. There is potential for the team to win a few games this season, as evidenced by a narrow loss to Western last weekend, but whether or not that potential will ever be realized is difficult to say. |
| Women’s basketball |
| B Record: 3 wins, 3 losses Games remaining: 16 |
Yay! The women’s basketball team won their first three games. But, no wait, they lost their next three . So, which team will show up the rest of the season? To be fair, the three consecutive losses came against the West Division’s three top teams from last season, and the games were all well within reach for Ryerson. The return of a handful of key veterans such as Tamara Alleyne-Gittens and Teaka Grizzle, and the emergence of sophomore forward Amanda Redhead, have made for an improved squad. This isn’t a big team in terms of size – there are only three players over 5-foot-9 – but they make up for it by playing a high-tempo, energetic brand of ball. The Rams could be a dark horse if they can figure out how to beat a few top teams. |
| Men’s hockey |
| F Record: 0 wins, 10 losses Games remaining: 14 |
Arggg. It has been a brutal season for Ryerson’s hockey team. As huge a fan as I am, there’s no way I can give a passing grade. The weakest team in the OUA, the Rams have scored only 11 goals this season and allowed a whopping 59. The team’s leading scorer, pint-sized Chris Sutton, has only five points. It’s painful. Make no mistake, there have been setbacks. Goaltenders Braden Deane and Mark Furman have quit, and a shoulder injury to captain Jamie Byck has hindered the blueline. One highlight was a strong performance against a powerful McGill team in a 5-4 loss. The Rams were 3-21-0 last season, and nearly made the playoffs in a weak division. This year, the Mid East is much-improved and playoffs are already out of the question. At this point, winning a game could prove difficult. |
| Figure skating |
| A | The team hasn’t started yet…their first event is this Friday at Queen’s. Robyn Doolittle, features editor extraordinaire, is on this team and presumably skates around in a tutu. A well-deserved A. |
| Men’s volleyball |
| B Record: 6 wins, 3 losses Games remaining: 11 |
This is our school’s best team. And these guys know they are pretty damn good. So why just a B? With the talent level of this squad, a 6-3 record seems almost subpar. Some fans are still shaking their heads over the 3-0 drubbing by a weak Western team two weeks ago. It should be noted that since then the team has a four-game winning streak, renewing the faith among the faithful. All I’ll say is keep it going.’ This is a fantastic team to watch (even for a decidedly non-volleyball guy such as myself). The on-court personalities really shine during games, whether it is the doggedly-determined Nic Beaver or the calm and collected Lukas Porosa. You may also see 6-foot-10 Ryan Vandenburg somersault on the hardwood after rifling the ball off an opposing blocker’s face. And don’t forget the grizzled vet Anton Hauser, whose mighty leap has been hindered all year by a bum ankle. Even the off-court personas are interesting, including affable bench warmer Mark Roe who is to this team what Rudy Ruettiger was to Notre Dame. I can imagine the chant now: Roey, Roey, Roey. Personalities are great – they are what make pro sports interesting – but Ryerson needs a winning tradition. It’s hard to imagine a better opportunity for one of our teams to dominate like this team is capable of. |
| Women’s volleyball |
| C+ Record: 2 wins, 6 losses Games remaining: 12 |
It’s been a Jekyl and Hyde season on the court for this team. A few ugly losses sprinkled with moments of brilliance from a team that should have more Ws than they’ve put up so far. To be honest, their grade would be lower if not for last weekend’s clutch performance. The Rams came through with a few huge points to take the deciding set over a strong University of Ottawa team. As will be the case all season, left side Erin Gallagher and libero Anjela Wilson proved a calming influence during the game’s heady moments. Considering this team won just four games last season, their underwhelming 2-6 start isn’t terrible. There’s no doubting, however, that they have the talent to do much more. |
| Fencing |
| ? | One time, I went in the gym and there were guys in white tights stabbing each other. I had no idea what the hell was going on. If not knowing anything about fencing makes me a bad sports editor, so be it. |
| Rowing |
| A+ | I’m not saying anything bad about the rowing team. |
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