As to why The Master’s University women’s volleyball team was unable to parlay a week’s worth of momentum into a win Friday night on Bross Court, coach Allan Vince’s explanation was simple.

“The reason Menlo is good is they don’t make very many errors. They find the court on swings and they defend,” he said. “… We’re learning how to do that better.”

Ultimately, the Mustangs lost to the Oaks, 3-2, by scores of 21-25, 25-13, 25-27, 25-23 and 15-13. Madi Fay led the Mustangs (10-16, 5-8 GSAC) with 15 kills. Jane Cisar followed with 14, helping boost Master’s to a much better showing against Menlo than in the first round of conference.

Back then, the Mustangs trekked to the Bay Area and lost in three. Friday, Master’s went up two sets to one behind an inspired performance at the tail end of set three.

Down 24-23, McKenna Hafner made a lunging dig, Kayla Sims lofted a set, and Cisar finished the rally off with a kill.

Three points later, an Oaks attacking error sealed the set – and unfortunately not the match – for Master’s, which returns to action Saturday at home against William Jessup.

The Mustangs will honor seniors Jamie Morton and Morgan Koch.

Koch made two solo blocks in set five Friday to help dig Master’s out of a 10-6 hole. A Fay kill eventually got the Mustangs’ back to 13-13, but the Oaks scored the final two points to improve to 21-8 on the season, 8-5 in GSAC.

“I think we have momentum in the sense that we continued to fight through the match,” said Sims, who finished with 50 assists. “We didn’t let up.”

That’s been the Mustangs’ mantra all season, rallying to earn a spot in the GSAC tournament with wins at Arizona Christian and San Diego Christian last week.

The two-state swing served as the team’s best trip of the season. It did not however make for the beginning of a three-match win streak.

Of course, a new streak could start Saturday.

“We still have so much to work on before the tournament coming up,” Sims said of the GSAC tourney, which will be at Master’s on Nov. 10 and 11. “But we really have push forward with mental battles and physical battles, and we’re growing as a team.”

Here’s the box score.