Senior Lynnae George couldn't put her finger on exactly what ailed The Master's University women's soccer team. But she pointed to the field and spoke from the heart.
"I know how good my team is," George said. "And I know that's not my team. That's not how my team plays soccer."
Master's found itself on the wrong end of a shutout for the second straight game Thursday, falling to Hope International, 2-0, at TMU.
The Mustangs, ranked No. 25 in the country, dropped to 10-5-1 overall and 3-3 in the Golden State Athletic Conference.
Things could be far worse.
They remain just one point out of a tie for second place, and the top six teams make next month's GSAC tournament.
Master's will close the regular season with a home match against San Diego Christian on Wednesday and a road contest at new conference foe Ottawa University Arizona on Oct. 27.
The Mustangs will be looking for performances more becoming of a team that advanced to the second round of the NAIA tournament last season and returned four all-conference players and a number of starters for the 2018 run.
"Going forward, each person needs to take ownership with the effort and the attitude and the skill that they came out with today," said George, adding that TMU's goal has not changed.
"The goal has always been to play for the Lord, which means to play excellently, to give your full effort. Whatever you have that day, to give it all and leave it all on the field for your teammates. And your attitude, you have to come with an attitude that you're going to sacrifice yourself for the team."
For Hope, the day held history.
Jazzmyn Esquivel scored the 34th goal of her career with about 20 minutes to play, doubling the Royals' lead and becoming the program's all-time leading goal scorer.
The moment, monumental as it was, didn't necessarily push the game out of reach. Not for a Mustang club that managed 16 shots on the day. Eleven were on frame, as goalie Siera Pedroza remained busy for most of what was a warm, windy afternoon.
Master's put Pedroza under pressure early, Suzanne Mabie driving down the left side in the first half, juking a defender into the middle of the field and leaving the ball off for a teammate. The shot was partially blocked.
There were opportunities late, too.
With six minutes left, Kellian Ahearn bent a cross onto the head of Jasmine Logan, who redirected it toward the goal. The ball clunked off the cross bar.
The effort resembled Saturday's 2-0 loss at Westmont, when the Mustangs peppered the Warrior keeper with quality shots but didn't score.
The impact carried over to Thursday.
"There's pressure on the forwards to get the ball in the net, and we end up taking shots from far out," said forward Sierra Carrasco. "Everyone tries to get their own shots in from outside the 18. We basically weren't looking for each other."
The solution?
"We just need to play like a family, honestly," Carrasco said. "Encourage each other, not taking it out on each other if we mess up. Picking up one another's slack and pushing each other in practice. Just being positive."
