The TMU volleyball team could not retain the momentum that came from earning its most impressive win of the season last weekend.

Just days after the Mustangs beat No. 21 Vanguard University in come-from-behind fashion, Master’s again fell down early but this time couldn’t fully turn the night around, losing to William Jessup, 3-1, inside the MacArthur Center on Friday.

The Mustangs regrouped after dropping the first two sets to take set three in commanding fashion. But the fun was short-lived. The Warriors (7-8, 4-4 GSAC) continued to serve Master’s tough and play with an energy that matched that of a raucous TMU crowd.

TMU volleyball fell to 10-8 overall and 5-3 in GSAC play, sliding to two wins back of first place. This was their first loss to the Warriors at home since at least 2008 and their second loss to an unranked opponent inside the MacArthur Center in a span of three weeks.

But women’s volleyball coach Allan Vince didn’t believe the Mustangs were out of contention for a repeat GSAC title after losses to Westmont and Hope International. So Friday’s loss — by scores of 25-18, 27-25, 15-25, and 25-23 — is unlikely to change his mind.

“I think it’s still fully within reach,” Vince said earlier Friday. “In every position, we have a very, very talented team. … I think it’s anyone’s game when it comes to game time.”

Regan Tate (12 kills) and Madi Fay (10) each recorded double-digit kills for the Mustangs, who will return to the court less than 24 hours later to take on Menlo College at home at 1 p.m.

The Mustangs struggled to block the Warriors — namely Ashanti Grayer (14), Taylor Jacky (13) and Hannah Henriksen (10), who each tallied double digit kills — for most of the night. But Master’s fortified its block in set three when it ran out to an 8-2 lead. The Warriors called two timeouts before either team reached 10, and the Mustangs pulled away to win comfortably.

“We just decided after the second set that that’s not how we play,” said TMU setter Katie Emmerling, who finished with a match-high 38 assists, “and we shook it off and our passing and setting came together, and we stopped their runs and we pushed as a team and there was less tension on the court.”

The Mustangs also found the court, hitting .484 in the third set, a number that dwarfed their hitting percentages in the night’s other three sets.

“It felt like a turning point,” Emmerling said.

Set four was tied 16-16 before Jessup went on a 4-0 run keyed by three Mustang errors. Master’s pulled even at 23-all, but a kill by Henriksen and a block by Henriksen and Taylor Tarble ended the evening.

Rebecca Swenning finished with nine kills and 20 digs for TMU. Jane Cisar had seven total blocks.

Here’s the box score.

As for the quick turnaround between matches …

“We’ve been saying, ‘Just take it one game at a time, our most important game is the next one,'” said Fay. “We’re not going to dwell on this one. We’re going to learn from it and move on to the next game.”
— Game Recap By Mason Nesbitt, TMU Sports Information Director