Vancouver Rise FC did not just climb back into fourth place on Sunday; they looked like a team beginning to rediscover what they can be when everything clicks.

A 4-0 win over Ottawa Rapid FC at Swangard Stadium lifted Rise two points clear of Halifax Tides FC and back into the thick of the NSL playoff race. More importantly, it was a performance built on the kind of togetherness interim head coach Iain Darbyshire had been asking for all week.

“I thought it was a more connected team performance,” Darbyshire said after the match. “We have great individual players, but we really need to come together as a group.”

That connection was visible from the opening whistle, and it was clear that the Rise took advantage of the fact that Ottawa lacked Pridham once again.

Rise pushed high and quickly, repeatedly finding space around Ottawa's box. Audrey François tested Melissa Dagenais inside the opening five minutes, while Josie Longhurst sent a shot just over the bar after a corner created chaos in the Rapid penalty area.

Mia Pante was lively on the wing as well. In the 17th minute, she nearly opened the scoring herself, sending a first-time effort from inside the box into the side netting.

Jessica De Filippo then came close twice. First, the NSL's leading scorer tracked back to win possession before driving forward and unleashing a shot that dipped just over the crossbar. Minutes later, she nearly found the same corner again.

Rise were knocking.

After nearly half an hour of pressure, the breakthrough finally came.

A loose Ottawa clearance fell to Sura Yekka on the right side of the box. Her driven cross found François, who made no mistake with a first-time finish for her first Rise goal.

The goal changed little about the team's approach. They kept pressing, kept moving the ball and kept asking questions.

Ottawa had chances of its own. Melanie Forbes found room inside the box late in the first half, but Jessica Wulf produced a sharp save to push the effort wide.

At the other end, Latifah Abdu almost doubled the lead with an inventive backheel after Pante's cutback, only for Dagenais to deny her. Abdu went close again before halftime, forcing another save after getting behind the Rapid defence.

Rise went into the break ahead, but there was no sense that they were ready to settle.

Eight minutes into the second half, they doubled their advantage.

Pante picked out Anna Bout on the left, and Bout drove into the box before cutting the ball back for De Filippo. The forward finished decisively for her 11th goal of the season, moving back into a share of the NSL scoring lead.

Bout was at the heart of the attack again moments later.

This time, she slipped a perfectly weighted pass through to Abdu, who took a touch, composed herself and fired between Dagenais' legs to make it 3-0.

For Bout, the assist was less about the spectacular and more about trusting the work the team had put in during the week.

“I just saw some space, so I tried to drive a bit, which is kind of what we worked on this week as well, in taking your opportunities and being individualistic,” Bout said. “She did the hard part.”

Rise were not finished.

In the 60th minute, Pante's cutback was deflected into the path of Longhurst, who calmly buried the rebound to make it four.

Even with the result seemingly out of reach, Wulf remained alert. She denied Florence Belzile at close range in the 73rd minute as Ottawa searched for something to take home.

Rise nearly added a fifth late on when Pante found Bout at the back post, but the midfielder could not quite keep her effort on target.

By the final whistle, Rise had their fourth goal, their clean sheet and, perhaps most importantly, a performance that looked far more collective than individual.

For Darbyshire, that was the biggest takeaway.

“Whether it’s in possession or out of possession, be connected and feel the love and the passion of the game,” he said. “And I thought you definitely saw that today.”

The challenge now is turning one convincing afternoon into a standard.

Darbyshire believes the depth of the squad can help them do exactly that. With players returning from injury and competition for starting spots continuing, Sunday's XI has given the rest of the group something to chase.

“These guys just set the standard, and they can be proud of that performance,” he said.

With the playoff race tightening, Rise will need more performances like this; not just because of the goals but because of the belief underneath them.

Vancouver Rise FC return to Swangard Stadium on Saturday, September 1,9 to host Montréal Roses FC for the “Campus Kickoff” match, presented by National Bank. Kickoff is at 2 p.m. PT.