ROCKLIN, Calif. – Coming off of a loss on Saturday in their conference opener, the William Jessup Lady Warriors (8-3, 1-1 GSAC) played host to the GSAC's newest members, the Menlo College Oaks (5-7, 0-2 GSAC), on Tuesday. A strong first-half shooting performance set the tone for the rest of the game, as the Warriors picked up their first conference win of the year, 57-52.
Both sides started off Tuesday's contest fairly even, with the defensive side of the ball doing much of the work. After a few minutes without scoring, both the Warriors and Oaks began to catch their stride as Jessup hit a big 3-pointer to take a 13-8 lead into the media timeout. Both sides traded basket-for-basket for the final five minutes, with Jessup holding an 18-14 advantage through one.
For the second quarter, again both teams came out quiet, with neither side hitting a shot in the first two-minutes. The Warriors would eventually score five-unanswered before the Oaks could sink a basket. After Jessup pulled away with a nice 30-23 advantage, the two sides went back to countering each other's shot as the Warriors entered halftime leading by six at 35-29.
The Warrior defense held the Oaks to just a 34.3-percent (12-for-35) showing from the field, and just 1-for-6 (20-percent) from behind the arch. Offensively, Jessup put up a 52-percent (13-for-25) showing from the field, while going 4-of-7(57.1-percent) from three-point-range.
Fouls had been a big factor in the first half, and the trend continued in quarter No. 3. At the five-minute media break, both teams had combined for just two-points, but also seven fouls. Both teams must have been handed great pep talks in the break, as each side connected on their next two possessions.
With just five-seconds left in the third quarter, sophomore Rona Chavez (Clayton, CA) added a huge spark to Jessup as she stole a Menlo inbounds pass and connected on a three-point-play. Momentum looked to be heavily in favor if the Warriors, as through three quarters, Jessup led 47-37.
That spark Chavez added in the final seconds of the third did not result in early fourth quarter momentum, however. Menlo started the fourth rolling, scoring six unanswered to trim the lead to just four and forcing coach Emilie Blate to call timeout. Again, Jessup left the timeout motivated, making big stops on defense while also scoring five-unanswered.
Jessup seemed to be in total control from that point on, as they were able to build a comfortable lead large enough to begin emptying the bench. The Oaks put up a last ditch effort by continuously fouling the Warriors, and Menlo even hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer, but it was all to little avail as Jessup won 57-52.
The Warriors shooting performance dropped off in the second half, as they finished the night shooting just 33.3-percent (19-for-57) from the field. Chavez was the leading scorer, recorded 15 points while dishing out 4 assists. Senior Crystal Sewell (Ophir, CA) added 10 points.
Jessup will continue the 2015-16 season on Saturday, December 19, when they travel up to the Bay Area to take on the California Maritime Academy in Vallejo. Saturday will be Jessup's final contest of the 2015 calendar year. Tipoff is scheduled for 2:00 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).
