REDDING, Calif. – Following a not-so-positive start to the season on Monday, the Lady Warriors of William Jessup University got back on the pitch Friday as they took on the Beacons from Northwest Christian University. Looking poised for a different outcome Friday, the Warriors battled for all 90-minutes and were able to hold onto an early lead as they head home victorious by the score of 2-1.
With the Warriors hailing from Rocklin, and the Beacons calling Eugene, OR home, the two schools made things easy as they met in the middle at Simpson University in Redding. The neutral location was one that Jessup is quite familiar with, as the Warriors and Simpson have been longtime rivals and were once foes back in the California Pacific Conference.
Much like that of Monday's match, it was the Warriors who found themselves on the scoreboard first Friday thanks to a goal in the 34th minute by sophomore Amber DeAnda (Stockton, CA), assisted off a cross from freshman Isabel House (Ione, CA). DeAnda got the starting nod at forward Friday, after coming off the bench after a deflating injury to one of her teammates on Monday that completely changed the tone of the match.
In the second half of Monday's match was where things spiraled downhill for the Warriors, as they allowed three consecutive goals to set up for the eventual 3-1 finish. However, on Friday the Warriors were able to keep momentum in their corner, drawing a penalty for the second straight game. Much like Monday, sophomore Yvette Perez (Santa Rosa, CA) took the strike from the dot and slotted it home for her second goal of the year.
Northwest Christian would draw a penalty of their own later on in the match, one in which they would convert to trim the Jessup lead to just one, but it was the Warriors' defense who stood strong and held on for the victory. After stating after Monday's loss that she wanted her team to perform better in the finishing third of the match, head coach Rachel Constantini must be proud with her team's efforts as she picks up her first win at the helm of the William Jessup women's soccer program.
Constantini will look to build a bit of a win streak now towards her record, as her squad goes back into prep mode to get ready for the Oregon Institute of Technology on Saturday September 3. The match will be the first of a two game trip up in Oregon that will conclude on September 5 against Southern Oregon University.
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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).
