Game Recap By Mason Nesbitt, TMU Sports Information Director

The Master’s University women’s volleyball team flew to Arizona last weekend for a two-match, conference trip. But the enduring lesson the Mustangs learned along the way made it sound like they’d driven.

“The road to a win is not always paved,” said coach Allan Vince of the takeaway from his team’s 3-1 win over Arizona Christian on Saturday, by scores of 25-18, 10-25, 25-20 and 25-16.

Behind 14 kills from Jane Cisar, the Mustangs recovered from a rough second set to move to 12-3 on the year and 2-0 in Golden State Athletic Conference play.

The win pushed Master’s past its win total from last year – with 17 regular season matches left to play – and it came the night after it swept Ottawa University Arizona. Still, there was a moment in set two Friday when the match was too close for comfort. Vince says he welcomes the adversity.

“I invite bumps in the road,” he said. “I invite the hardships, as long as our destination is still set. I told them not every win is going to be a quick one, and if a game gets taken off us, it doesn’t devalue us or take away from what we’re capable of.”

Instead …

“It shows our ability to persist and to adapt and get our discipline back,” Vince said. “That was our focus, this little mantra, ‘Welcome the pain and discipline so you don’t have to welcome the pain and regret.'”

Cisar continued to be a force at middle blocker, her 14 kills coming on 26 attempts. Madi Fay followed with eight kills and Autumn Stevens pitched in seven. Kayla Sims tallied 20 assists and Sarah Park had 17 assists.

Sims also had 13 digs, and McKenna Hafner had 10.

“It was a good challenge this weekend,” Hafner said. “And it was good that we rose to the occasion.”