SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – With just one more road match on the schedule, the Lady Warriors were in Santa Barbara on Saturday to take on Westmont College. Westmont was able to add two early goals to give them the lead, and while Jessup did add a very impressive goal late in the match, it wasn't enough as the road portion of the 2016 season ended with a 3-1 loss.

Jessup's lone goal on the day Saturday was a great one, coming in the 70th minute. After a yellow card was issued to a Westmont player, junior Kailee Soares (Antioch, CA) stepped up to take a free kick from around 30 yards out. Soares hit a rocket over the wall that dipped down, kissing the bottom of the crossbar and falling into the net.

The goal was Soares's fourth on the season, and was her first since she netted a hat trick of goals back on September 13 against Simpson University. Soares currently leads the team in goals scored, with four players sitting one spot behind her with three.

"The girls played an exceptional game. We battled incredibly hard and made Westmont work for all of their goals," head coach Rachel Constantini stated. 

Westmont got the scoring started in just under ten-minutes into the match Saturday, as Maddi Berthoud scored her tenth goal of the season off an assist from Haley Johnson. Westmont would add another goal about five minutes later, as Jackie Lopez took an assist from Berthoud for her fifth goal of the year.

Berthoud got on the scoresheet once again in the 66th minute, which would set Westmont's lead to 3-0. Grace Lemley sent a corner kick low into the box, and the ball skipped past a Westmont attacker, to the feet of Berthoud where she set up a shot into the upper right corner of the goal.

Senior Briana Evans (Roseville, CA) recorded 7 saves for Jessup on Saturday while facing 10 shots on goal from Westmont. Jessup was able to get off 6 shots with three going on goal. Amber Rojas recorded 2 saves while allowing the lone goal for Westmont.

Jessup has two matches left on the schedule in 2016, both of which will take place at home on Jessup Field. The Warriors will play host to Hope International on Thursday before closing out the season on Saturday with Senior Day against No. 5 Biola University.

"These girls never stopped fighting," said Constantini. "I am so proud of how they lift each other up, encourage one another, and work for the name across their jersey."

The Warriors currently hold a record in conference play of 1-6-1 for a total of four points in the GSAC standings. The top six teams in the conference will earn a trip to the playoffs, and as of Saturday afternoon Jessup sits two points out of the sixth spot. Hope International is tied with Jessup currently with four points as well.
 

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).