ROCKLIN, Calif.— On Friday night the William Jessup volleyball team started off conference play winning the home opener in four sets against  Life Pacific College, 26-24, 25-20, 18-25, 25-21, advancing to 6-5, 1-0. 

"Getting our first conference match out of the way with a win is huge," head coach Shasta Millhollin commented. "The GSAC is tough, everyone is good. Life Pacific was relentless and a very well coached team.  The jitters are gone and we are ready for another great match tomorrow."

Jessup jumped out to an early 14-10 lead in set one, however, Life Pacific would go on a run of their own and tie the game up at 24-24. The home Warriors would rally in the final moments and win the set, 26-24 as Vendela Williams led her team with 5 kills in set one and would go on to finish with a game-high of 10 kills for the match. 

The ladies would continue their solid play as they led for the entirety of set two, ultimately winning 25-20. Senior Mackenzie Reeder-Esparza would put the finishing touches on the set with a vicious kill for the final point, she would go on to finish the match with 7 total kills. 

 After trailing 15-7 in the third set, Jessup would score 8 of the next 10 points, bringing the score to 17-15, however, the run was not enough as Jessup dropped the third set, 25-18.

With a rocking crowd behind them, the home court Warriors would pull away in set four winning 25-18. Early in the final frame Jessup found themselves down but not out as they trailed 6-4. After scoring four unanswered points, roles reversed and Jessup took the lead 8-4. From this point on, the game would be tied up five more times. After breaking a 14-14 tie, Jessup would continue to chip away until they were victorious. 

The energy in Warrior Arena tonight was LIVE! We had tons of fans screaming and cheering like crazy. Ultimately, our fans were the X factor that lifted us up and helped us clinch the win. 

Once again Alicia Borges was superb from the service line with three aces, bringing her season total to 20. Taylor Tarble led the way with 4 blocks while Williams had three of her own. Brianne Whitt played an overall great game as she finished with a team-high 21 assists, 12 digs and two aces. 
  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).