The Master's University's win against Westmont over the weekend imbued the Mustangs with an unmistakable rise in energy and confidence. But, it also came with a significant caveat.
Yes, the Mustangs had earned a signature win that may prove crucial to an NAIA tournament berth. But, the achievement might not mean much if they faltered against a dangerous Hope International team on Wednesday at OC Great Park in Irvine.
"All our work Saturday would have been wasted if we didn't win today," said defender
Laura English. Â
The game was another high-scoring thriller, but ultimately there was no need for concern.
Kyndel Borman scored with 47 seconds remaining in regulation to lift the Mustangs to a 3-2 win over the Royals. It was her second game-winner in as many matches and her 10th goal of the season, a benchmark for elite scorers in the history of TMU's program.
The Mustangs (9-3-3, 4-1 GSAC) are currently tied with Westmont for second place in the Golden State Athletic Conference standings, both teams resting three points behind Ottawa Arizona, which will close the year against Vanguard, Westmont and Master's.
With its recent surge, the Mustangs have positioned themselves to contend for the program's first-ever GSAC regular season title.
Hope didn't make it easy – even after Master's raced out to a commanding lead. Â
After
Shelby Willis scored for the first time in two years to give Master's a 1-0 edge in the 40th minute,
Sarah Stead scored less than a minute into the second half to double the advantage.
Hope answered with a pair of goals in rapid succession: Daisy Gallegos scored in the 66th minute and Angelica Flores followed suit in the 67th.
The Mustangs were not surprised by Hope's response.
"We knew they were going to come out hard no matter what the score was," TMU forward
Kayla Peterson said of Hope, an NAIA tournament qualifier last season. "They're a dangerous team that's constantly scoring. I think what these last two games have showed us is the grit we have."
Saturday, the Mustangs dug out of a 2-1 hole in the final three minutes of regulation before Borman scored a golden goal in the third minute of overtime.
Wednesday, Master's once again turned to the sophomore forward with the game on the line. Â
With less than a minute remaining,
Sarah Stead drove and served a ball to Borman, who beat Hope's back line and flicked it past the keeper.
The goal marked a new career high for Borman and made her just the eighth player in Lewis' 12-plus seasons to reach double-digit goals. Â
"These last two games have been crazy," Borman said. "… We fight and we grind the whole game, and it all leads up to just being in the right spot at the right time."
For Willis, her goal in the first half was her first since Oct. 7, 2017. She showed promise as a goal scorer that season as a freshman, but she missed all of last year with a knee injury.
"It was really tough honestly," Willis said of 2018. "It's hard to not be able to participate in the hard work and not be able to step on the field. But it definitely fueled my determination to come back stronger than before."
Willis expects her internal drive will only increase from here. Â Â Â
"I think finally scoring will push me even further to serve my team as a forward," said Willis, whose goal was assisted by freshman
Elizabeth Radmilovich.
It was Radmilovich whose no-look pass set the table for Borman's goal against Westmont, a play that lifted Master's to its first win over the Warriors since 2014.
The Mustangs didn't let the momentum slip away Wednesday.
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