On the final day of the 2014 Asics/Wyndham Labor Day Classic, The Master’s College volleyball team ended its time with a win over Menlo College at 10 a.m., followed by a loss to Great Falls University of Montana at 4 p.m.

Game 1: TMC: 3, Menlo: 0

Box Score:

In its morning match against the Oaks, the 19th-ranked Lady Mustangs bested Menlo in three sets (25-18, 25-16, 25-20).

After overcoming an early tie at the 1-1 mark, the Lady Mustangs led the Oaks in the entire frame, posting a collective 19 kills and a .385 hitting percentage en route to a 25-18 victory.

Practically mirroring the first set, the Lady Mustangs broke an early 1-1 tie in the second frame and established a commanding lead over the Oaks, ultimately resulting in a 25-16 victory backed by a team-total 13 kills and a .310 attack percentage.

Set three featured a much more competitive Menlo offense as the Oaks posted five ties early on. With the score tied at 12-12, the Lady Mustangs broke the gridlock off an Aubrey Bekendam (Orland, CA) kill. From there, TMC battled to a 25-20 victory over the oaks, winning the match at 3-0.

Ashley Kuhlman led TMC with 13 kills, Bekendam posted a team-high 28 assists, while Chloe DeAngelis (Scottsdale, AZ) led the Lady Mustangs with 16 digs.

Commenting on the match, head coach Allan Vince stated, “We beat Menlo in three sets this morning,” commented Vince. “I was able to play my full roster minus a few injured athletes, and they all contributed seamlessly. We identified Menlo’s threats, and defense did an awesome job working together to neutralize their effectiveness in the front row, and kept their back row from creating point scoring opportunities.”

Game 2: Great Falls: 3, TMC: 0

Box Score:

For the first time since the beginning of the season, the Lady Mustangs fell to an unranked squad as the Argos of Great Falls beat TMC in three sets (23-25, 16-25, 18, 25).

“Great Falls brought Niagara Falls tonight,” commented Vince on the loss. “They were all over the place- digging, passing, hitting – it was a very good training experience for our team. We played very sharp the first game, but they found a rhythm and stayed consistent, and it was tough to get one by them. Our girls never gave up. We made the Argos earn that win, and I am proud of our game play. We are putting together the necessary pieces for success, one match at a time.”

The Lady Mustangs opened the match by posting a quick lead before the Argos fought back and tied things at 13-13. After the two squads tied the match four more times (16-16, 17-17, 18-18, 19-19), the Argos narrowly bested TMC by posting a 6-4 run, ending the first set with a 25-23 victory.

In the second set, the Lady Mustangs trailed the Argos and were only able to tie the score on two separate occasions (6-6, 8-8). The Argos toppled TMC with a 25-16 victory.

The Lady Mustangs put up more of a fight in the third frame, but failed to outlast the Argos’ aggressive attack as Great Falls took the set with an 25-18 victory.

With the loss, the Lady Mustangs’ 2014 record moves to 6-4.

Now, the Lady Mustangs will take some time off and prepare for their next two matches. Next Friday, TMC will take on Simpson University at 9:00 AM, followed by a rematch against the La Sierra Golden Eagles at 1:00 PM. Both matches are set to be played at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa.