TMU volleyball defeats Vanguard in four sets
Mustangs rally from 8-point deficit in final set to end 5-match losing streak; Tarver scores team-high 17 kills
The Master’s University Mustangs women’s volleyball team won a thrilling match against the Vanguard Lions on Saturday night, snapping a fivematch losing streak with a four-set victory (25-20, 2511, 23-25, 33-31).
“Our team played a phenomenal match,” Mustangs head coach Annett Davis said. “They worked hard, played for God’s glory and were committed to playing with excellence for Him. It was great to see.”
Emily Scott contributed five kills in the opening set, while Ruby Duncan helped the Mustangs stay in control with a block to score the Mustangs’ ninth point of the set.
TMU started the second set by going on a 5-0 run, which fueled Master’s on its way to winning the set by a dominant 14-point margin. Anna Poole helped to thwart the Vanguard attack with numerous digs.
“Defensively our team was focused,” Davis said. “Anna Poole did a great job encouraging her teammates while leading the defense.”
Natalie Collins helped to set up the Mustang offense by providing the team with a plethora of assists.
“Collins did a great job distributing sets to all of our hitters. Most of our hitters had a phenomenal night,” Davis said, referencing her team’s .224 attack percentage on the evening.
Fearing being swept, the Lions raced out to an 8-2 lead in the third set, but the Mustangs ultimately responded with a six-point run to tie the set, 11-11. Throughout the rest of the set, it was a back-and-forth battle between the Mustangs and the Lions.
A Faith Tarver kill helped the Mustangs tie the set once again at 23-23, before the Lions pulled away at the end to win the set by two.
Vanguard was determined to extend the match to a fifth set, leading by as many as eight points in the fourth at 21-13, but the Mustangs fought back to within two, trailing 21-23. A Lions’ kill gave the visitors set point, but the Mustangs saved three-straight set points to tie the set at 24 apiece.
That began a streak of each side saving multiple set points, with the set extending longer than usual into the 30-point range. With Vanguard leading 31-30, the Mustangs saved another set point, sparking a 3-0 run that won the Mustangs the match. Ruby Duncan punctuated the victory with a kill.
Tarver led the Mustangs
in kills for the seventhstraight match, with 17. Scott (15) and Duncan (14) also put-up double-digit kills.
Collins tied her season high of five aces while leading the team with 48
assists. Defensively, Collins pitched in 15 assists. Poole led the Mustangs with 18 digs, while Emilye Grace Williams (14) and Tarver (12) also recorded double-digits in the category. Duncan paced the
team with five total blocks, while Collins was close behind with four.
Master’s (7-14 overall, 3-8 GSAC) is scheduled to play next on the road on Friday at 6 p.m. against San Diego Christian College.