The Master's University men's volleyball team improved to 6-0 on the season with its second win over Vanguard University in as many tries in The MacArthur Center on Saturday.
The Mustangs won in four sets, losing only their third set of the young season, thanks to 21 kills from
Isaac Seltzer.
The win gives TMU a 33-game win streak, setting a new record for the longest win streak for men's volleyball in NAIA history. It also extended the team's home win streak to 33, dating back to February 17, 2023.
The Master's had a strong first set, opening up leads like 10-5 and 20-12 off blocks from Garett Beall. A service ace from
Isaac Seltzer and one of
Trace Oswald's 18 kills gave TMU the 1-0 lead.Â
Vanguard took back the momentum in the second set though. TMU had 10 service errors in the second period which had 12 lead changes. The Master's had the lead down to just one at 21-20 and 22-21 but a Lion kill and an error from Seltzer tied the game right back up at 1-1.
"This is what I expected from Vanguard," TMU Head Coach
Jared Goldberg said. "They're a good group and tough team to deal with."
The third set was more of the same with multiple lead changes and ties along the way. With the score tied at 21, the teams traded points and still found themselves locked at 25-25. Vanguard got to set point at 27-26, but a 3-0 run by the Mustangs, consisting of two of Seltzer's kills and an Oswald service ace, put TMU in the driver's seat up 2-1.
The final set proved to be not as tightly contested in the beginning with TMU opening up an 18-12 lead. However, Vanguard rallied again, rattling off a 6-1 run to come within one point at 24-23. However, Seltzer slammed the door with a set and match sealing kill from
Matthew Hamm, who totaled 41 assists.
TMU hit a strong .364 and had five service aces.
"We're a good bit more tested than we were at the start of the season," Coach Goldberg said. "We've just got to take it a day at a time with some big NAIA matches coming up."
The Master's will take on Westcliff University on Thursday in The MacArthur Center before starting conference play Friday night at home against Soka University.
