Mustangs overcome first road test of the season

Chapman University provided a stiff challenge for TMU Women's Basketball on Friday night in TMU's first countable road game of the season.
 
"We weren't mentally prepared for the pressure they brought early," Master's Head Coach Lisa Zamroz said. "It took us some time to adjust and settle in. They have some really talented and scrappy guards that made the game a grind."
 
But the Mustangs were able to draw from previous experiences from earlier this season, helping Master's pull away from Chapman for an 80-58 victory.
 
"We found ourselves facing adversity throughout the entire game," Zamroz said. "I think those early NCAA Division II games prepared us to fight through those moments with better poise and grit."

After a back-and-forth opening quarter, the Mustangs went on a late run in the second quarter, extending their lead to as many as 13.
 
"Ella Brubaker came on strong in the second quarter hitting three 3-pointers in a row to give us a 10-point cushion going into half," Zamroz said.
 
The Panthers then outscored the Mustangs by two points in the third quarter, getting to within six going into the fourth. Zamroz credited freshman Anna Veeck for helping Master's hold onto its lead in the third.
 
"Anna Veeck gave us some great minutes off the bench in the third to help propel us back into playing our game our way," Zamroz said.
 
TMU then pulled away in the fourth, scoring 25 points compared to Chapman's nine, to ultimately win by 22.
 
"Our presence on the glass at both ends kept us in it when we were playing sloppy offensively," Zamroz said, citing her team's 50-31 rebounding advantage.
 
Stephanie Soares and Brubaker each scored 22 points to lead Master's in scoring. Soares added 14 rebounds for her fourth-straight double-double, including exhibitions. Madeline Cooke tallied 10 points and six rebounds.
 
Master's, now unbeaten at 4-0, returns to The MacArthur Center on Thursday for a 5:30 p.m. game against Westcliff University.