After taking the first set, #5 Westmont (17-3, 2-2 GSAC) lost the next three to #13 The Master’s (16-2, 3-1 GSAC) and left Santa Clarita with their third loss of the season (25-19, 24-26, 25-15, 25-16).
The Mustangs’ Samantha Dougherty pounded down 29 kills and posted a .339 attack percentage in the upset.
“The difference was serving and passing,” assessed Westmont head coach Patti Cook. “We weren’t serving as tough as we should and they were serving really tough. They were getting points off of getting us out of system.”
In the first set, Westmont used an 8-2 run to turn a score tied at eight-all into a 16-10 advantage. Tessa Martin and Ciara Turner, who each had five kills in the set, would go on to lead the Warrior attack. Turner tallied 15 kills and a .316 attack percentage while Martin notched 14 kills and an attack percentage of .250. Madison Serrano added eight kills to the Warriors’ cause.
The second set saw Westmont fall behind 18-11 before rallying to tie the match at 19-all. But the Warriors were unable to overtake the Mustangs and final succumb on The Master’s second set-point.
“Their block was anticipating our offense very well,” noted Cook. “We frustrate opponents with our digging; they frustrated us with their block. Their block is big and they are able to dig around it as well.”
The third and fourth sets belonged to the Mustangs. Westmont fell behind early in each and never recovered.
“When you compare the two sides, the energy on their side was incredible,” said Cook. “They played like they had nothing to lose. They were gutsy. They are a phenomenal program with a lot of arms on their team.”
The Warriors continue the 2012 campaign on Saturday when they travel to La Mirada to take on the Eagles of Biola. First serve is scheduled for seven o’clock.
