Rams take on Trent, RMC in fight for postseason berth

TORONTO — As they look to put their last two losses against the Toronto Varsity Blues behind them, the Rams men’s volleyball team gets set this week to take on the lowly Trent Excalibur (0-8) on March 2 and 4. Both games start at 8 p.m. and will take place on the Rams’ home court at the Mattamy Athletic Centre.

With a record of 2-8, the Rams currently sit in sixth place of the OUA East division, ahead of only the Excalibur. Historically, the Rams have played to a perfect 8-0 record against Trent, with their latest victory coming on February 8, 2020 at the Trent Athletics Centre in Peterborough. 

Despite their losses to the Varsity Blues, interim head coach Niko Rukavina was proud of their efforts and thought it boded well for the team’s development as the season progressed.

“A young team like we are,” Rukavina said after their February 19 loss at home, “to be able to come in against one of the top teams in the league and dominate in a few sets in the way we did, it just means the world for us in the future and in our development.”

Rams fans should keep their eyes locked on rookie outside hitter Jacob Walker, who has been outstanding in his first season in the blue and gold, leading the team in points, kills, kills per set, and points per set. Elsewhere on the roster, libero Lhexen Rabit—who sits 8th in the OUA in digs and leads the team in that department—has continued his steady ascent to OUA dominance, so too have Saad Shaikh and Lucas Yang, all of whom figure to be continued pillars of the team’s fight for the postseason. 

Statistically speaking, the Rams sit in fifth in the OUA in total kills (368), ninth in kills per set (9.68), fifth in assists (340), eighth in total digs (238), and 10th in digs per set (6.26). Trent is last in the OUA in all five of those categories. 

In order to qualify for the playoffs, the Rams will need to sweep their series against Trent, take their match against the middling RMC Paladins (4-5) on March 5, and rely on the misfortune of the York Lions (2-6), who are just ahead of them in the standings and will do battle with the Blues (8-1) and the Queen’s Gaels (7-1) as their season comes to a close. Luckily, the Rams are also perfect against RMC, playing to a stunning record of 19-0 against them since 2011.

All games can be watched live on OUA.tv.