By Peter Ash
- Rams lose for first time since Jan. 21, have three-match win streak snapped
- Ryerson finishes with hitting percentage of just .203 compared to Mac’s .345
- McMaster remains undefeated with a 12-0 record
Ryerson’s men’s volleyball team couldn’t extend their three-match winning streak on Wednesday night, losing 3-0 (20-25, 19-25, 23-25) against McMaster at the Mattamy Athletic Centre.
Outside hitter Lucas Coleman paced the Rams with 12 kills and setter Adam Anagnostopoulos added 22 assists and a team-leading 7 digs.
Despite making each set reasonably close, the Rams couldn’t crack McMaster’s tough defence as Marauder libero Jordan Pereira and outside hitter Jayson McCarthy led the charge with eight and seven digs, respectively. McCarthy added a match-high 14 kills.
It was a disappointing loss for the Rams, who were coming off a dominant 3-0 victory over Brock on Saturday. The loss moves the OUA East-leading Rams to a 10-5 record, keeping them just two points ahead of the York Lions for the division lead. McMaster remains undefeated (12-0) at the top of the OUA West.
The Marauders were all over the Rams to open the first set, with Andrew Kocur’s two successful serves opening up a 6-1 lead before a Ryerson timeout. McMaster’s hard-hitting duo of Brandon Koppers and McCarthy did the heavy lifting for Mac, racking up three and five kills, respectively, on their way to capturing the opening set 25-20.
In the second, the Rams faced a similar situation, getting off to a slow start with eight errors to fall into a 9-5 deficit. The Rams would keep themselves within striking distance, but their three errors in five possessions would ultimately hurt them, leading to a 25-19 decision for Mac.
Two kills and a Marauder service error would allow the home team to take a 11-9 lead in the third set, but it wouldn’t last long. Craig Ireland and OUA hitting percentage leader Danny Demyanenko scored back-to-back points as McMaster took a 14-12 lead in the middle of the third. Two points is as close as the Rams would get to the Marauders, as a strong kill from McCarthy and a match-sealing finish from Pete Khodkevych would end the match with a 25-23 scoreline in the third and final set.
UP NEXT: The Rams take on Trent on the road on Saturday Feb. 11 at 8 p.m. Ryerson beat the Excalibur 3-1 at the MAC in November.
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