MERCED, Calif. – The William Jessup University volleyball squad began the 2015 regular season this past weekend, taking part in the UC Merced Holiday Inn Express Invitational. The Warriors competed in three matches over a two-day span, fighting hard in all three but unfortunately leaving without their first win.
Friday vs. University of California-Merced
The tournament kicked off on Friday, as the Warriors squared off against host team UC Merced. The Bobcats, former conference rivals with Jessup from their days in the Cal-Pac conference, came out victorious in a three-game sweep (25-19, 25-14, 25-13). Freshman Makenzie Reeder-Esparza (Sacramento, CA), making her collegiate volleyball debut, led her side with 6 kills. Setter Cheyenne Johnson (Redding, CA) recorded 11 assists.
Saturday vs. Oregon Institute of Technology
The tournament got back underway on Saturday, with the Warriors beginning the day against the Owls of Oregon Tech. Jessup fought hard, even sending one game past 25 points, but again they fell in three games (25-20, 25-16, 26-24). Offensively, the Warriors were led by a number of contributors. Junior Ellie Selleck (Grass Valley, CA) and senior Betsy Guerrero (Winnemucca, NV) led with 9 kills. Junior Jennah Richmond (Napa, CA) added 7 kills to the total. Johnson recorded 30 assists.
Saturday vs. Southern Oregon University
The toughest test of the tournament came in the third and final match, as the Warriors squared off against the NAIA's 16th ranked Southern Oregon Raiders. The Raiders topped the Warriors in three games (25-13, 25-12, 25-13), sending Jessup home still seeking their first win. Selleck led the Warriors with 8 kills while Johnson added 20 assists.
Johnson finished the tournament with a total of 61 assists over the three matches. Her play over the weekend was good enough to be one of seven players named to the all-tournament team
Friday marked the beginning of a new era in Jessup volleyball, with head coach Shasta Millhollin-Bossom making her coaching debut. Her debut season continues on Monday, August 31 when the Warriors scrimmage the University of California-Santa Cruz at 2:00 pm in Warrior Arena. The regular season picks back up in a four-game tournament at Santa Cruz held on September 4-5.
***
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).
