Master's continues winning ways into new year

Eighth-ranked TMU Women's Basketball continued its winning ways into the new year, extending its winning streak to 16 to start the season with an 86-61 road victory over University of Antelope Valley on Monday night.
 
Stephanie Soares continued her double-double streak into the new year, with 23 points and 11 rebounds, while two of her teammates flirted with double-doubles themselves. Rebekah Throns posted a line of nine points and nine assists, while Olivia Prettyman scored nine points and added seven boards.
 
"Rebekah had a great game," Master's Head Coach Lisa Zamroz said. "I think she played every position at one point or another. She's been a key piece for us all year.
 
"Olivia gave us great minutes off the bench as well. She's got a knack for the boards, which is really nice to have from a guard. She came in and gave us second-chance opportunities right away."
 
Master's scored the first six points of the game, as the young team of mostly underclassmen relied on its veteran leaders in the early going, with Soares scoring 10 points in the opening quarter and Throns pitching in six points and three assists.
 
The 6-0 Mustang run to begin the game proved to be the difference between the two teams after one quarter of play, before TMU extended its advantage to 18 at halftime after holding the Pioneers to just four points in the second quarter. Master's began the second on a 13-0 run, holding UAV scoreless for almost seven minutes until 3:09 remaining before halftime.
 
TMU then started the second half just like it began the first – scoring the first six points. The two teams ultimately battled to an even 22-22 quarter before the Mustangs exploded for 26 points in the fourth, their most in any quarter of the game. Ella Brubaker scored 11 of her 17 points in the final period after sinking 3-of-4 triples.
 
Brubaker and Soares, who posted her 16th-straight double-double, were joined in double-figure scoring by Allyson Pettit (10 points).
 
The 16-0 start for Master's is the team's third-best in program history, one win shy of the second-best start from the 2012-13 team that began the season 17-0.
 
The Mustangs will look to match that mark on Thursday when TMU returns to Golden State Athletic Conference action with a home game against Menlo College at 5:30 p.m.