ROCKLIN, Calif. – Looking to keep the momentum going after back-to-back wins over the past week and a half, the William Jessup men's soccer squad was down in the Bay Area on Friday to take on the NCAA Division II level Dominican University of California Penguins. Jessup did not look overmatched at all, and controlled the pace of the game as they brought home a 2-0 victory.

Friday's match nearly started off on a very sour note, as in just the first minute of play, a Jessup foul conceded a free kick to the Penguins within striking distance. The free kick was whipped into the box, where a Dominican player was able to get a head on the ball, but the shot trickled wide left.

The two sides Friday got off their fair share of close chances, with both keepers being put to work often in the match. A close chance for Jessup was in the 21st minute, when a counterattack produced a two-on-one opportunity at goal, but even with a man advantage on the attack Jessup was still denied by a great save from Dominican's goalkeeper.

For over the first hour of the match Friday there were no goals to speak off, but that changed in the 69th minute thanks to senior Jacob Rodriguez (Pacifica, CA). Rodriguez curled a shot from about 20 yards out, over the outstretched reach of the keeper, and into the upper corner of the goal to give Jessup a 1-0 lead.

Seven minutes after the go-ahead goal, the Warriors struck again, this time by senior Jose Hernandez (Ukiah, CA). The goal is Hernandez's fourth of the season, and makes it now three straight matches he has scored in.

After starting the year off with back-to-back losses against NCAA level teams, the Warriors have now won three consecutive matches and sit above .500 at 3-2. In the past ten seasons, 2016 is the first one in which the Warriors are sitting above .500 through their first five matches.

Jessup's season will continue this next week as they play host to Sierra Nevada College on Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. This will be the second all-time meeting between the two schools, with Jessup taking the first matchup 5-0 last year. Following that match, the Warriors will begin conference play down in Southern California.
 

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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).