ROCKLIN, Calif. – After snapping a season long six-game losing streak their last time out, the Warriors (15-11, 5-9) welcomed the No. 9 Vanguard University Lions (17-4, 9-2) to the Warrior Arena Thursday night. After starting off slow, and suffering a big blow in the third, Jessup battled back late but couldn't take home the victory, falling 46-43.
Vanguard set the tone early on with their defense, applying pressure to the Warriors through double-teams and by cutting off the passing lanes. It took about five-minutes for Jessup to finally find some rhythm, but a contested layup from Crystal Sewell (Ophir, CA) tied the game up mid-way through the first, causing the Lions to use a timeout. The Warriors used an 8-2 run to build some late momentum, allowing them to take an 11-10 lead into the second.
Jessup kept that momentum rolling into the second as they found themselves in a back-and-forth battle. The Warriors saw a big 3-pointer from sophomore Janelle Luu (Riverside, CA) to take the lead, but it was immediately countered by Vanguard with a basket of their own. That style of play continued for the remainder of the quarter, until a 5-2 run in the final minute from Vanguard sent Jessup into the half trailing 24-21.
Both offenses were rather sluggish in the first half, as the Warriors shot just 37.5 percent (9-for-24) from the field, with Vanguard going 29.6-percent (8-for-27) while also adding a 6-of-11 (54.5 percent) showing from the line.
The Warriors seemed to be taking over right out of the break, as sophomore Rona Chavez (Clayton, CA) hit a 3-pointer to tie the game and force Vanguard to call timeout. However, out of the timeout the momentum was back in favor of the Lions, as they quickly retook the lead and silenced the Jessup offense.
Jessup suffered a big hit midway through the third, when Sewell went down with an apparent ankle injury. Sewell, the Warriors' leading scorer this season, was in her first game back after missing the last month due to injury. She did not return to the game Thursday.
After the injury, Jessup seemed to still have a spark left in them, as Luu hit another 3-pointer to take the lead and pump the entire team up. The lead did not last long as Vanguard charged with a 10-0 run to take a 40-34 lead into the final period.
The Warriors came out charging in the fourth, quickly cutting the deficit to just one within a few minutes into the quarter. Jessup kept the game inside of one basket the remainder of the night, setting up one last possession, down three, but freshman Olivia Luu (Riverside, CA) would narrowly miss the tying three, ending the night with a narrow loss.
Leading the way for Jessup Thursday was (Janelle) Luu with 13 points. Luu also shot a perfect 3-for-3 from three-point-range. Chavez added 11 points. Vanguard's Melissa Norman led all scorers with 16 points.
The season continues next week, when the Warriors head to San Diego to take on San Diego Christian on Thursday. Game time 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).
