IRVINE, CALIF. – Every year, on the morning of TMU's final regular season home game, the Mustangs huddle inside their locker room for a pregame ceremony.
Coach
Curtis Lewis presents each senior with a letter and a rose.
The letter, written by Lewis, delves into how the player has grown as an athlete, but more often as a person. The rose serves as a symbol that the end is near. Once the stem is clipped, it's only a matter of time.
"The goal for the rest of the team," Lewis said, "is to allow that flower to have as much life as it possibly can before the seniors depart."
That task for TMU started with a 5-2 win over Arizona Christian last week in the Golden State Athletic Conference first round, and it will continue Thursday at 11 a.m. at Orange County Great Park in Irvine.
The Mustangs (13-5-1) will be facing a familiar foe. Westmont beat Master's 2-0 back on Oct. 13, despite TMU attempting 18 shots to the Warriors' 12.
Eight times, the Mustangs put the ball on frame.
"Ever since that game, we said, 'We want them again,'" senior
Hailey Gomillion said. "The result of that game wasn't indicative of what actually happened. I think it's exciting to get another shot at them. Hopefully this time we'll put some shots away."
Senior
Lynnae George feels her team is in a different place now.
"We're on the upswing," she said. "We've been capitalizing on our chances and creating a lot of opportunities. We feel confident."
Part of the rise in confidence came from Lewis' senior day gesture, George said.
Lewis can't remember exactly what sparked the idea, but he believes he's done it every year since he took over 12 seasons ago. This rendition was particularly impactful.
"Hearing what coach truly thinks of us seniors, it really impacted us and changed our attitudes a little bit," George said. "He didn't focus on stats, the numbers game, and he was like, 'I trust you guys, go play your game and have freedom.' For me, that was huge. I think that freed a lot of girls up, like, 'He trusts me.'"
Gomillion said the Mustangs have undergone a shift in focus over the last three games, all wins. She said coming off last season's trip to the second round of the NAIA national tournament, the team became enamored with numbers and results.
"That mentality change of, 'Let's have fun, let's enjoy it,' I think that has shown in how many goals we've scored since then," Gomillion said. "It's been a blast to be on the field again."
It looked that way Saturday, as Gomillion recorded a hat trick and helped the Mustangs overcome a 2-1 halftime deficit.
That turnaround, Lewis said, bodes well for Master's as it seeks to buck two troubling trends. The Mustangs last beat Westmont in 2014. And, they've lost in the GSAC semifinals in four of the last six seasons. The other two years, TMU lost in the first round.
"I think our comeback against Arizona Christian solidified, 'Hey guys, we're here,'" Lewis said. "We're having fun. The culture matters. It matters that the girls are having fun. I think they want to continue spending time together and that helps you fight for each other."
