The Master’s University men’s volleyball team got its 2025 season off to a great start with a four-set win, 25-21, 25-21, 23-25, 25-17, over the Concordia University Irvine Eagles Friday night, Jan. 31 in Irvine.

The Mustangs, ranked No. 1 on the NAIA Preseason Top-15 poll, hit .311 against the NCAA Division II Eagles, and led in kills (56-50), aces (4-1) and total blocks (8.5-7).

The two teams started the match very close, finding the set tied often and neither side gaining more than a two-point advantage. After being tied at 11-11, it was TMU that grabbed control and opened up as much as a four-point lead, maintaining a slim margin through to the final 25-21 first set win.

The second set was virtually a carbon copy of the first, with the one significant difference being the last tie was at 15-15. But once again, The Master’s, behind three straight kills from Matthew Hamm, Isaac Seltzer and Braden Van Groningen, opened up an advantage the Eagles could not erase and once again won the set 25-21.

The third set was once again tight, with the last tie coming at 14-14. Only this time it was CUI that opened up a cushion that the Mustangs could not cut into. The Master’s got close, getting to within a point at 24-23, but an error by the Mustangs gave the set to the Eagles 25-23.

Concordia opened the fourth set by gaining as much as a three-point lead and seemed to have the momentum coming off the third-set win. But TMU was able to go on a 15-8 run to go up by four before closing out on an 8-3 run to win the set by eight and claim the match.

“I’m really proud of how we came out in the fourth set after dropping a close one in the third,” said TMU Head Coach Jared Goldberg. “We responded with sharp focus, executed at a high level, and took control early, which was exactly what we needed to do.”

Van Groningen, an All-American from last season’s NAIA Championship runner-up team, finished with a team-high 14 kills. Seltzer, another All-American, Max McCulklough, a transfer from Concordia-Irvine, and freshman Trace Oswald all finished with 11 kills. Setter Matthew Hamm dished 43 assists while McCullough had a team-high six blocks.

“Braden Van Groningen was a force for us tonight,” Goldberg said. “He made big plays at key moments and gave us a steady presence offensively. Max McCullough also stepped up in a huge way, especially in controlling the blocking game and transition.”

The Master’s will travel to Costa Mesa Thursday, Feb. 6 to take on former GSAC rival Vanguard, now a member of the NCAA Division II and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation in men’s volleyball. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.

For more information visit GoMustangs.com.