Game Recap By Mason Nesbitt, TMU Sports Information Director

Jane Cisar admits she was reluctant to move to middle blocker this season.

Sure, she played the position for most of a career that included a stop at the University of New Mexico. But, she so enjoyed her time at opposite last season, her first at Master’s, that she wasn’t crazy about switching.

Nights like Friday confirm there was nothing to fear.

Cisar tallied 14 kills and no errors as part of TMU’s 3-0 win over Ottawa University Arizona in Surprise, Ariz., by scores of 25-16, 25-21 and 25-7.

Madi Fay recorded eight kills and Kayla Sims added 18 assists for the No. 25-ranked Mustangs, who have already matched last season’s win total and will look to surpass it Saturday at Arizona Christian in Phoenix.

Friday’s match served as both team’s Golden State Athletic Conference opener, and it was the latest in a string of impressive performances from Cisar.

The junior has 136 kills on the season. Her 6-foot-1 frame and athleticism make her an imposing presence at the net and a superb replacement for Morgan Koch, the all-conference middle the Mustangs’ graduated after last season’s 11-17 finish.

Cisar’s 14 kills Friday came on 18 attempts.

“I think it’s a confirmation that this is the position I should be in,” Cisar said.

Coach Allan Vince agrees.

“Every time she was up, she pounded it to a different spot on the court,” he said. “She was dynamic.”

She wasn’t the only one. Fay continued to produce at opposite, recording her eight kills on just 13 attempts. Regan Tate added six kills for the Mustangs, who continued a roll that began, really, at the beginning of the year.

TMU won its first nine matches, then flew halfway across the country to play four matches against ranked opponents at the Hampton Inn Classic in Columbia, Mo.

The Mustangs measured up, beating then-No. 14 Columbia College and pushing then No. 1 Lindsey Wilson to five sets.

Friday’s match didn’t hold as much hype. But the Mustangs took care of business, hitting an efficient .423 and .480 in sets one and three, respectively, and surviving a rough set two.

Cisar said the team is aware of how far it’s come but knows the journey that lies ahead.

“Obviously, we have more than half our season left to go,” Cisar said. “And we can only go up from here, in comparison to last year. It feels good.”