It was exactly what the volleyball world wanted.

The two teams ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the NAIA all season long.

Two teams that were undefeated on the season.

But the trophy can only go home with one team, and that trophy is coming to Santa Clarita.

The Master’s University men’s volleyball defeated the St. Xavier (IL) Cougars in four sets Saturday, May 3 to win the NAIA Men’s Volleyball National Championship in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Not only that, but the team was undefeated during the entire season.

The Mustangs (27-0) won the match with a 28-26, 25-23, 18-25, 25-19 four-set score.

“It’s just everything we’ve been working for all year,” said TMU Head Coach Jared Goldberg. “And it culminated exactly how we wanted with that match. The team really came together throughout the entire season.”

AVCA NAIA Player of the Year Braden Van Groningen was named the tournament MVP.

“I’m so proud of this team. I love each of these guys to death,” Van Groningen said. “We had to fight. We knew that St. Xavier was a good team and we knew that we would have to come out with focus, we knew we would have to come out with grit, and we would have to execute. I thought we did that tonight. A little shaky at times, but overall this group of guys is one tight knit group of guys. We all love each other. And so all glory to God. This is the spot we were put in and falling short last year makes this all the more sweeter.”

The Mustangs started off the first set grabbing a 3-1 lead and either kept that two-point lead or had it tied. With TMU up 12-10, St. X was able to go on a 4-0 run to take its first lead of the set at 14-12. The Cougars maintained that advantage, and with St. Xavier at set point 24-21, The Master’s scored the next three to tie it at 24-24 with kills by Braden Van Groningen and Isaac Seltzer. The teams traded points, and after a hitting error by St. X gave TMU set point, a block from Carston Saelzler and Max McCullough sealed the set for The Master’s.

The Mustangs were on the wrong side of triple-set point, but won the next seven of nine points to win the set 28-26.

“That was huge,” Van Groningen said. “With our backs against the wall in that first set, we really didn’t flinch. We were willing to make the tough plays, willing to take some risks, especially being down triple-set point. And then once we tied it we got a monster block from Carston Saelzler.”

“We probably would have been going five had we not (won that set),” Goldberg said. “I think it’s a testament to the schedule we played all year because we were kind of in a tight spot (in that first set). But we’ve been in tight spots before and the guys played composed and not freaking out about anything.”

The Master’s took an early lead in set two at 7-5. But three points in a row put St. Xavier up 8-7. Once again the teams traded points, with 19 ties and nine lead changes in the second set alone. But a kill by Van Groningen brought the Mustangs to triple-set point 24-21. Two points later, a Cougars service error put TMU up 2-0 for the match.

St. Xavier fought from the start of the third, grabbing a quick 6-2 lead. That lead expanded to 12-6 and stayed with that spread until the 18-25 third-set win.

It was the first set the Mustangs lost in the national championship tournament.

The Master’s walked onto the floor before the fourth set a different team. They were focused, determined… it was as if the rocket was about to be lit.

The team scored the first four points, forcing St. X to call a timeout. After trading points, an ace served up by Will Avera put TMU up 9-5. But the Cougars went on a 6-3 run to cut the difference to a point, then tying it at 14-14. The teams traded points again, and after it was tied at 16-16, kills by Trace Oswald and two by Van Groningen, plus a block from McCullough and a Cougars hitting error, put the Mustangs up 21-16. The teams traded points, but it was Avera who got the final kill to win it for The Master’s.

Seltzer led the team with 11 kills, followed by McCullough with nine and both Van Groningen and Oswald with eight. Matthew Hamm finished with 33 assists, and Avera had the game-high with eight blocks. Both Van Groningen and Preston Schmidt had 14 digs.

“Honestly, just an overall team effort,” Van Groningen said. “Each guy knew their role going into today, each guy did a great job executing that role and finding a way to make this team just one percent better.”

In the locker room after the match, there were tears of joy and tears brought on by the realization that some have played their last volleyball.

But they went out as national champions.

“We’ve got a group of veteran leadership that has put a lot into this program, and no matter what, win or lose, it’s going to be emotional at the end,” Goldberg said. “For a bunch of our guys it’s the last time they are going to play as part of a team at a very high level. But it’s a much better feeling to go out with a win than a loss, I can tell you that.”

For more information visit GoMustangs.com.