ROCKLIN, Calif. – Following a successful start to her first year at the helm, new head coach Emilie Blate faced a new challenge Saturday as she squared off in her first conference game with the Warriors (7-3). It was 19th ranked The Master's College Mustangs (8-2, 2-0) who were in town Saturday to kick off the 2015-16 GSAC calendar, and a comeback was not in the cards as the Warriors fell to 0-1 in conference play with a 67-51 loss.
Saturday's action started off on a more defensive note than usual, with both sides struggling to find the basket over the first few minutes. Masters eventually began to convert on some chances, pulling ahead 7-2 as the game entered the halfway point of the quarter. Jessup then countered by scoring five unanswered to equalize the game, but a 3-pointer in the final minute put the Mustangs up 10-7 through one.
The second quarter started off quite differently than that of the first. While the Warriors still struggled to find the basket, the Mustangs had no problem scoring as they went on a quick 11-2 run to pull ahead 21-9. Jessup was able to hold fairly even with the Mustangs for the remainder of the quarter, but they just couldn't chip away at the deficit as they entered halftime trailing 33-17.
Again in the third quarter, Masters got off to a quick start and began to add onto their lead. As the quarter entered the halfway point, Jessup trailed 44-23. The third quarter has consistently been one of the lowest offensive efficiency quarters for Jessup this season, but a late run, helped with some strong baskets in the paint from senior Crystal Sewell (Ophir, CA), allowed the Warriors to battle, but through three they trailed 51-34.
Contrary to how they've consistently played in the third quarter this year, the Warriors have seen their best offensive efficiency come from the game's final quarter. This was much of the same Saturday as the Warriors put up 17 in the fourth, equal with their point total in the third, but in the fourth quarter Jessup was able to win their first frame of the day. The late comeback wasn't enough though, as Jessup fell to 0-1 in conference play
Sewell, Jessup's leading scorer for the season, once again led the charge with 10 points. Senior Alexandra Rodriguez (Rocklin, CA) put up 8 points for the Warriors, with senior Megan Scully (Newark, CA) and freshman Olivia Luu (Riverside, CA) each adding 6 points. For Masters, it was Shannon Kingery and Megan Lindsley who led the way with 12 points each
The season continues on Tuesday when the Warriors play host to Menlo College. Tuesday will be the second conference contest of the year for both sides, and it will also be the first conference meeting between Jessup and Menlo since the 2013-14 season, when both sides were members of the California Pacific Conference. Tipoff is set for 5:30 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), @WJUSports (Twitter), and @JessupAthletics (Instagram, and Snapchat).
