It was more than just a tune-up for the GSAC Tournament.
Sure, Saturday afternoon's match against Arizona Christian gave The Master's University women's volleyball team a chance to polish its game in advance of the conference tournament that starts next Friday.
But it was also an opportunity to give a victorious send-off to the seniors, who were playing their final match on the hardwood of Bross Court.
The Mustangs accomplished both, outlasting a stubborn Arizona Christian squad in five sets, 25-18, 23-25, 25-17, 22-25, and 15-8.
Master's, the GSAC tournament's No. 5 seed, will play No. 4 seed Hope International on Friday at 5 p.m. at Menlo College in Atherton, California.
"Our block was on today," said TMU head coach
Allan Vince. "(Madi) Fay and Katie (Emmerling) were excellent against the outside hitter and Jane (Cisar) and (Emily) Scott were excellent against the middle."
The Mustangs finished the regular season 12-6 in the GSAC and 18-11 overall. They're now focused on defending their GSAC tournament crown from last year.
That may become reality if they block like they did on Saturday.
The squad registered a season-best 29 total blocks, 12 of those from sophomore middle blocker
Emily Scott.
The Mustangs also enjoyed a 52-45 edge in kills with senior
Regan Tate recording a match-high 15.
Her last one in the first set capped a 4-0 run that gave the Mustangs the win.
A Fay kill, off a
Katie Emmerling assist, in the third set sparked a 6-0 burst that put the Mustangs in control, and her set-ending kill from another Emmerling assist enabled the Mustangs to move in front two sets to one.
Emmerling had 11 of her match-high 45 assists in that set.
"Because of our passing,
Katie Emmerling was able to set a very well-rounded offense with multiple players in high-kill and high-attack percentages," Vince said.
McKenna Hafner,
Rebecca Swenning and
Mackenzie Delo combined for 56 digs.
In the back-and-forth tenor of the afternoon, a fifth set was forced and the Mustangs led from start to finish. Cisar, who had 13 kills, contributed two in the decisive set, and a block by Scott scored the final point in a clinching win.
"Jane was awesome tonight, scoring well off of solid defense in transition," said Vince.
The quarterfinal match against Hope International will be a stern test against the NAIA's 23rd-ranked club. The Royals defeated the Mustangs twice in the regular season.
Vince wasn't looking ahead.
"It was a great finish on our home court for these six seniors," he said.
