Costa Mesa, Calif. – The Warriors women's basketball team (11-4, 2-2) was coming off a huge, comeback road win going into Saturday's contest at the preseason #1 team in the nation, but couldn't find the magic touch a second time succumbing to #12 Vanguard (9-3, 2-1) by a score of 62-42.
Jessup played one of the best opening quarters of their season Saturday afternoon. Head coach Emilie Blate elected to use a 2-3 zone to keep the ball away from Vanguard's talented pool of post players. The strategy worked and Vanguard consistently shot and missed from behind the arc.
Jessup also handled significant ball pressure well from Vanguard in the first half as the Lions elected to implement a full court press. Great ball movement, characteristic of the Warrior team this year, ruled the day and Jessup got the outside and inside looks they were looking for. Then, all of sudden, Vanguard found their shot.
With two minutes remaining in the first half Vanguard went on a brutal 10-0 run to own the momentum going into the locker room with a 31-16 lead.
The hit was more than Jessup could recover from. The Warriors fought valiantly through the second half but despite an obvious hunt to find the edge Jessup had enjoyed in the opening minutes, Vanguard seemed unstoppable.
In a big way it was rebounding that doomed the Warriors. Their intense defense was still effective down the stretch but where they were holding Vanguard to one opportunity in the first half the Lions were grabbing offensive rebounds in the second. The second chance points made the difference for the Lions as they recorded 22 compared to just three for the Warriors.
Seniors Crystal Sewell (Ophir, CA) and Diana Corona (Porterville, CA) each posted eight points on the day and Sewell also led the team in rebounds with eight.
Coach Blate and the Warriors return home for antoher conference game on January 14 when they host Biola University in Warrior Arena. The women's game will tip off at 5:30 and the men's game will follow at 7:30.
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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).
