By Bana Yirgalem
The Rams men’s volleyball team kicked off the preseason by topping the Brock Badgers in an action-packed, five set contest at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC) on Oct. 15.
When the first serve of the game was made, the Rams struggled on the defensive and offensive side. However, halfway into the first set, the Rams started to find their rhythm and started attacking back.
Despite their effort, the Rams ended up dropping the opening set 18-25
The second set was filled with action. Both teams were going back and forth with well crafted plays. The Rams were trailing during the early goings of the set, but began to counter Brock’s attack. Soon, the Rams found themselves with their first lead of the night.
But the Badgers wasted no time fighting back and the score was neck and neck as the second set reached its conclusion. After dropping the first set and trailing to start the second, the Rams began to charge and evened up the match at 1-1.
The Rams’ momentum from the second set carried into the third. Their strong communication skills helped them overcome barriers in the first two sets. After shrugging off a bad start to the match, the Rams found themselves victorious in the third set and up 2-1 in the match.
As the fourth set kicked off, the Badgers were looking to even things up. Brock’s strong defensive plays kept pushing back the Rams. With Ryerson’s offence unable to find consistency, they dropped the fourth set 20-25.
It all came down to the fifth and final set on Friday night. The young Rams team, with only seven returning players, couldn’t have asked for a better first test this season. The fifth set contained crafty plays and a tug-of-war like fight from both teams.
While the final set was a nail biter, it was clear the Rams were determined to win. While the Badgers continued to push, a strong push for the Rams helped secure the set 15-7 and the match.
It’s a quick turn around for the Rams, who will take on the Waterloo Warriors Saturday afternoon. The Rams will also play a six-game preseason slate in the lead-up to their season opener Nov. 5 in Guelph against Queen’s University.
However, the high number of preseason games will be key in getting a relatively inexperienced team back up to game speed.
UP NEXT: The Rams host the Waterloo Warriors on Saturday, Oct. 16 at the MAC. First serve is set for 12 p.m.
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