TORONTO — After watching their female counterparts dismantle the Trent Excalibur in straight sets at home, the Rams men’s volleyball team followed suit, ousting their eastern rivals in straight sets and leaving the court with confidence. It may have been dicey at times, but the blue and gold made plays when they had to and put away their pesky opponents.
In a sloppy and wild first set, the Rams fell behind early but were propelled to a swift lead by the steady play of Jacob Walker and a timely ace from rookie setter Taylor Wenzel. Though Trent mounted a comeback near the end of the set, the Rams took the opener 25-22. Interim head coach Niko Rukavina noted that the unusual Wednesday schedule made it difficult for his team to start on time, considering most of his players were in class (or writing midterms) just hours before the first serve.
“It’s tough on a Wednesday,” Rukavina said of the first set as he looked towards his jubilant team. “It was ugly, but I was happy with the way we turned it around.”
Clearly energized, the Rams pulled out to a 13-8 lead in the second set and then proceeded to win the frame 25-15. While serving trouble hampered both teams throughout the set, the Rams relied heavily on key kills from Kai Higuchi and Nicholas Hudson, the latter of whom led the team in kills through two sets.
“It’s huge,” Jacob Walker said confidently of the statement win. “Considering it’s our playoff run, we want to win every game from now on.”
In an effort to close things out in the third set, the Rams gained a hard-fought 9-6 edge that slipped to a 13-10 lead by the middle of the frame. Still, shrewd defence combined with the continued tenacity of Walker and Alex King lifted them to a 20-13 advantage and, eventually, the set at large.
Overall, the Rams were able to improve to 3-8 on the season and, in the words of their coach, are staying the course as they try to squeak into the OUA postseason.
“Hopefully we get another win on Friday and a win on Saturday,” Rukavina said in summary. “Then, we’ll still be in the playoff hunt, because that’s all that matters.”
After a day of practice and preparation, the Rams will hit the court to take on the Excalibur in a rematch on Friday. The first serve flies at 8 p.m.
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