Game Recap By Don Gilmore, TMU Assistant SID

Defense figured to be the showcase of Thursday night’s GSAC showdown between No. 24 William Jessup and No. 21 The Master’s.

Why not?

The game featured two of the NAIA’s top 20 defenses.

The Mustangs entered the contest 10th in the country in team defense, allowing just 54.9 points per game. Jessup was giving up 58.2ppg, the 20th-best mark in the NAIA.

Thursday’s score reflected each team’s commitment to that end of the floor, but Jessup didn’t have an answer for Stephanie Soares, who scored a career-high 30 points to help TMU fend off the Warriors 69-59 on Bross Court. Master’s has now beaten three ranked opponents this season and has won three straight games.

Soares added 12 rebounds and eight blocks. Tristen Coltom followed with 10 points for TMU, and Rebekah Throns contributed nine points and 11 rebounds.

“I thought our team continued to play solid defense for the majority of the game,” said TMU head coach Dan Waldeck. “Jessup shot the ball well from three, but our girls just continued to have a ‘next play’ mentality.”

The Warriors shot well from behind the arc in the opening quarter, scoring all of their nine points on a trio of treys.

At the other end, the Mustangs dominated much closer to the basket, scoring 12 of their 23 first-quarter points in the paint. Soares had six points on three layups as the Mustangs forged a 14-point lead after one stanza.

They duplicated that paint production in the second period, however, as the Warriors turned five Mustang turnovers into 10 points and sliced five points off the deficit, closing to 40-31 at the break.

Soares had 14 points to go with five blocked shots at the break.

“Stephanie played fantastic within the flow of the game and dominated on both ends,” said Waldeck.

It was just the beginning of another monster night for the freshman.

In the third quarter, Soares posted 12 of her team’s 15 points, including 10 in a row in one window, and the club held Jessup to just 10 points, building a 55-41 advantage after three.

The Warriors never got closer than eight points the rest of the way.

“I thought we had great efforts from the whole team,” Waldeck said.

Now 11-4 overall, the Mustangs are 4-1 in the GSAC where four teams are within a game or less of first-place Vanguard.

The Mustangs will have just a short time to savor this win with No. 11 Menlo visiting on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.

“We’ll have a quick turnaround to prepare for a very good Menlo team,” Waldeck said. “The conference is so incredibly deep and tough this year, so you have to bring your best every game.”