ROCKLIN, Calif. - Day one of the Bill Holtz Classic was successful for the Warriors, so Jessup sought to finish strong as they faced off against the Northwest Christian University Beacons. And finish strong they did as the final score read in their favor, 69-67, winning both of their tournament games and advancing the Warriors to a 3-1 record overall.

"The fans got their money's worth tonight!  That was as thrilling of a 4th quarter we will see all year," head coach Kurt Westendorp reflected after the exciting win. "I could not be more proud of the toughness our team showed tonight."

The first quarter was slow for the Warriors as the Beacons' pushed them onto defense. The Beacons ended up with a 6 point lead and the Warriors were unable to break it, but they got the score to a one-point differential on a layup by Liz Gehweiler, and the Warriors ended the first ten minutes trailing the Beacons by just one, 14-13.

That tight score carried over to the second quarter and held throughout as the Beacons never led by more than four. Gehweiler finally gave the Warriors the lead with four minutes remaining as she hit a clutch three-pointer to give Jessup their first lead of the second quarter. That shift in momentum led the Warriors keeping a lead for the majority of the quarter. However, Jessup lost the lead with 30 seconds remaining and left the half trailing the Beacons, 33-31. At the end of the first half, Liz Gehweiler led the team in scoring with 9 points, a number of which were momentum shifting.

Going into the third quarter, the Warriors sought to tip the score in their favor. The play remained tight, wavering between tied and a two-point margin for the first eight minutes. The Beacons pulled ahead with two minutes remaining and the Warriors were unable to catch up. The third quarter ended with the Warriors trailing 53-44. Lily Hagerty joined Gehweiler in leading the team in scoring with nine points each. They were closely followed by Miranda Zaragoza and Creonah Bryant who both had six points after the third quarter.

The Warriors entered the fourth quarter with a vigor unlike the previous three. The Beacons put up some distance with a 13 point lead, but Hagerty started off an offensive push with a shot behind the arch which was immediately followed up by a three from Olivia Luu. The change in momentum led the Warriors to close the gap significantly. With 29 seconds on the clock, Hagerty stole the ball and made a layup to tie the game then, with 3.2 seconds she made a layup to give Jessup their first lead of the quarter and the ultimate victory. The Warriors defeated the Beacons, 69-67.

Overall, the Warriors made 22 out of 62 (35.5%) field goals compared to the Beacons who made 25 out of 65 (38.5%). From the arch, the Warriors were 7-17 and the Beacons were 6-16. The Warriors grabbed 41 rebounds resulting in 13 points. The entire Jessup roster put in work as the bench earned 18 points. With three Warriors leading the way in double figures; Hagerty led with 17, while Gehweiler had 16 and Luu had 12.   

"We are still finding our way as as a team and have many areas we need to shore up," concluded Westendorp.  "But a win like this one tonight shows how we can beat a good team while we strive for growth."

The Warriors face off against Sacramento State on Monday, November 5th, in an exhibition match in Sacramento, California at 7:00 PM.

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) and @JessupAthletics (Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat).