Mustang volleyball bounces back with win over Menlo

A day match after an evening one is always a concern.
 
Especially after a loss.
 
But, The Master's University women's volleyball team overcame any physical and mental obstacles Saturday afternoon to post a four-set win over visiting Menlo.
 
"We had a great team meeting prior to the match to bring the season into perspective," said TMU head coach Allan Vince.  "And, to be reminded of why we play this game:  to do everything with excellence and to sacrifice for one another, all to the glory of God."
 
The 25-21, 15-25, 25-22, 25-23 victory came on the heels of Friday night's loss to William Jessup and lifted the Mustangs (11-8 overall, 6-3 conference) into a third-place tie with the Oaks in the GSAC.
 
The Mustangs trail first-place Westmont by two games.
 
In the opening match, a Menlo attack error helped the Mustangs snap a four-all tie and was part of a 4-0 run that put TMU ahead to stay.  Two Regan Tate kills highlighted the burst.
 
They led by as many as eight points (18-10) on an Emily Scott kill and closed out the 25-21 opening-set win on a Rebecca Swenning kill.
 
The Mustangs leapt to a 2-0 lead in the second set but the Oaks used an 11-0 run later in the set to gain control and cruised to a 25-15 victory to tie the match at a set apiece.
 
TMU duplicated that second-set start in the third and never trailed en route to a 25-22 decision.  It wasn't that easy, though.
 
After an Emmerling kill put the Mustangs up by eight (20-12), the Oaks scored nine of the next 11 points to pull within 22-21.  However, a Menlo attack error and a Karli Stults ace restored order and when Fay produced a kill, the Mustangs had the three-point win win that put them up two sets to one.
 
Fay finished with six kills.
 
Looking to bounce back and tie the match, the Oaks scored the first three points of the fourth set and were still up 18-13 later when the Mustangs rallied decisively.
 
It started with an Oak attack error and back-to-back kills from Swenning.  A Jane Cisar kill pulled the Mustangs within 20-19 and when Swenning posted another kill, the set was tied.
 
Three points later, another Oak attack error put the Mustangs up 22-21, their first lead since 3-2.
 
A Gracie Gwinn ace and a Tate kill capped a 4-0 run and Cisar closed out the 25-23 win with a match-ending kill.
 
Tate, the club leader in kills, had a team-high 16 while Swenning had 10 more to go along with a match-high 17 digs.
 
Vince said, "They came out to play together and left the court with a win together."
 
The Mustangs return to the court Wednesday evening against La Sierra in a non-conference match (7:00pm start) and then welcome Westmont to Placerita Canyon next Saturday evening for a mid-season showdown.