TORONTO – The Mustangs posted a commanding victory over the Ryerson Rams on Friday night, toppling one of the best teams the OUA has to offer in straight sets (25-23, 25-13, 25-13) at the Mattamy Athletic Centre.

Western and Ryerson now sport matching 6-2 records, and both remain near the top of their respective divisions. The Mustangs are second in the West behind the McMaster Marauders, while the Rams remain tied for first place in the East division.

Bryn Ramsay led the Mustangs offensively, adding 17 kills to the purple and white total and contributing to three successful blocks. Evan Hammond followed with 10 points, while rookie Brady Fidler recorded eight points.

Jordan Baric and Marko Milenkovic topped the Rams' half of the scoresheet with 9.5 points each, while Alden Hasangic followed with 5.5.

The Mustangs started off the first set slowly, but soon turned it up to 11 to separate their score from the Rams. Ramsay was essential in establishing the lead, with six of his kills coming in the first set.

Western's lead reached its most substantial margin at 21-14, but a sudden change of momentum saw them tie the set at 23-23 as Milenkovic began to exploit weaknesses in the purple and white defensive system, while the team as a whole improved their attack efficiency and kept the ball inside the court.  

A pair of kills from Ramsay finished off the set, giving the Mustangs a 25-23 win.

Western didn't give Ryerson an opportunity to make a comeback in either of the following sets, as the Mustangs quickly pushed out a 25-13 victory in the second and third.

The later sets saw the Mustangs dominate the pace of the game, not allowing the Rams to string together any more than two consecutive points.

With a comfortable cushion between Western and Ryerson, the Mustangs began to switch up their lineup to include the younger athletes on the roster. Gianfranco Sartor and Fidler both make an impression on the Rams, racking up four and five kills respectively. Fidler also proved himself to be one of the most accurate attackers on the Mustangs roster, registering a .667 hitting percentage.

Only Hammond bested the rookie, recording a .857 hitting percentage.

By the end of the match four different Mustangs had taken more than ten swings at the ball – a direct result of the stellar performance of setter Matt Hooker. He runs a fast-paced offence that fully utilizes every athlete on the floor, spreading opportunities and preventing Ryerson's blockers from being able to predict his next move.

The Mustangs will be back in action on Saturday, when they travel to St. Catharines to take on the Brock Badgers at 8:00 p.m.