No. 1 THE MASTER'S TOPS ONU IN FOUR SETS

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. – Olivet Nazarene battled No. 1 The Master's on Saturday night but came up short in a 3-1 (11-25, 26-24, 22-25, 16-25) road loss at The MacArthur Center. The Tigers handed the Mustangs their first dropped set in four matches but were unable to sustain the momentum against the top-ranked team. 

The Master's took control early, opening the match with a dominant first set. The Mustangs hit .588 as a team while limiting ONU to four kills on .071 hitting. The Tigers struggled to find their rhythm against The Master's' strong blocking presence and aggressive serving, falling 25-11 in the opening frame.

ONU responded in the second set, capitalizing on improved efficiency and strong play at the net. The Tigers hit .381 as a team, led by Brody McAfee, who recorded five kills in the frame, including the set-clinching point. ONU forced key Mustang errors late to edge out a 26-24 win and even the match at 1-1.

The third set saw momentum shift back to The Master's, but ONU remained within striking distance. The Tigers hit .200, with Jaiton Kamaunu leading the attack with five kills in the frame. ONU recorded five blocks in the set, but The Master's executed late to take the set 25-22. 

The Mustangs controlled the fourth set, using a .364 hitting percentage to pull away. ONU struggled offensively, recording just five kills while committing seven attack errors. McAfee and Jackson Harvey each contributed two kills, but The Master's' balanced attack proved too much to overcome as the Tigers fell 25-16.

Looking Ahead

ONU continues its California road trip with a matchup against No. 8 Mastiff University on Mar. 3rd at 8 p.m. CST.

—ONU—

*Contact Anyssa Hampton, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, ahampton@olivet.edu