Rocklin, Calif. – Jessup volleyball took advantage of a reprieve from conference play this evening, facing a new opponent in the visiting University of Antelope Valley Pioneers. The Warriors got off to a shaky start but a strong comeback gave Jessup the 3-0 sweep (28-26, 25-20, 25-17).
The first game saw Jessup slip nearly out of the game right from the start as the Pioneers jumped to a 6-15 lead to open play. Jessup remained undeterred and found their feet in the game mounting a 6-0 run. Their gains slowed from there but the Warriors found a steady pace. Once, twice, three times Antelope Valley had the Warriors pinned to a game point but each time Jessup converted and ultimately triumphed 28-26.
"I knew the girls could play exactly the volleyball they wanted to," said Jessup head coach
Shasta Millhollin-Bossom. "We've been working on mental toughness this week and it was good to see them execute that in game one. They know that they are never out of a game, even if they are down 9 or 10 they can fight for every point and claw their way back."
From that point on Jessup's play sharpened notably. It was Jessup that took control in game two stealing an easy 25-20 victory. Sensing their opponents on the ropes the Warriors plowed ahead. Despite another small lead put together by the Pioneers in game three, Jessup calmly kept to their assignments and swept the match 3-0 with a 25-17 victory in the final game. The win puts Jessup's record at 6-12 (1-6 GSAC).
Offensively,
Courtney Lengyel (Diamond Bar, CA) completed nine kills in the game while fellow sophomore
Cheyenne Johnson (Redding, CA) would have 16 assists. Defensively, it was freshman
Jessica Yaranon (Roseville, CA) who had a breakout game with 18 successful digs.
The evening's game was the Warrior's Courage Match, dedicated to the Northern California Courage House, a member of Courage Worldwide which battles human trafficking on a global scale. The Warriors will have only a small break this week as they prepare to take on conference opponent Menlo Saturday at home at 7 p.m.
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William Jessup University is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC). For additional information regarding Jessup Athletics, visit www.jessupathletics.com; visit www.jessup.edu for more information on William Jessup University. Follow Jessup Athletics on social media: William Jessup University Athletics (Facebook), @JessupAthletics (Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat)
