ROCKLIN, Calif. – Coming off an electric home opening conference win on Friday night, the William Jessup volleyball team came up short as they lost to the Hope International Royals on Saturday in three sets, 25-20, 25-23, 25-14.
Set one was a hard fought contest but the Warriors were unable to come away with the first-set win, losing 25-20. Mid-way through the set senior
Makenzie Reeder-Esparza had a kill set up by
Brianne Whitt that brought the game within two points as Jessup was down just 17-15. But the Royals would gain footing late in the set to take the advantage.
The Warriors would battle it out in set two scoring five straight points sparked off by a
Vendela Williams kill as Jessup took an early 15-10 lead. As the two teams continued to fight,
Laurie Stephan would give Jessup a late 23-19 lead with a kill of her own, however, the Warriors would go on to lose the nail-biting set 25-23.
The third and final set was an uphill battle throughout and the Warriors would fall 25-14.
Leading Jessup in kills was Williams for the second night in a row with 6 while Stephan and
Ashanti Grayer had 5 a piece. Whitt had a team-high 12 assists while
Madison Pelham tallied 10 of her own.
Taylor Jacky closed out the game with the most digs with 18 and Alex Demaranville-Robinson finished with 13.
After the game head coach
Shasta Millhollin said, "We would like to see better side out efficiency and less unforced errors, but we gained a lot of experience and information today. I have confidence in our ability to bounce back and continue to improve."
Next up on the schedule for the Warriors will be their first conference road trip on September 14 and 15 where they will take on Vanguard University and San Diego Christian College. The ladies will return back to Warrior Arena on September 21 as they host the Arizona Christian Firestorm at 7 PM.
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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) and @JessupAthletics (Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat).
