ROCKLIN, Calif. –  After a week break, the Warriors were back on the court, ready to take on the 16th ranked Menlo College Oaks, for the second meeting this season. Despite a slow start, the Warriors were able to knock down the Oaks, 70-58, taking the Warriors to 17-8 overall, 8-6 in GSAC.

The Warriors hosted their annual Play4Kay game where all proceeds from the gate and donations are donated to the Kay Yow Breast Cancer Awareness fund.

"I couldn't be more proud of the toughness this group showed tonight," head coach Kurt Westendorp said.  "Our first half was lackluster on offense but we stuck together, stayed persistent, and got into a great rhythm in the 2nd half."

In the first quarter the Warriors found the early lead as the first five minutes were strictly in their control, but that offensive domination wavered slightly with four minutes remaining. However, the Warriors were able to maintain strong defensively and keep the deficit at a minimum with huge plays on the boards. In the first quarter, the Warriors had 15 rebounds, 7 offensive and 8 defensive, which translated into seven points directly. After the first 10 minutes, the Warriors were down just one basket, 13-11.

The Warrior's defense slipped in the second quarter as the Oaks were able to push the deficit and gain a larger lead. At the end of the first half, the Warriors trailed, 29-21.

The third quarter saw Jessup make key adjustments to strategy and offense. With just 10 points in the two previous quarters, they double that effort in the third quarter. A large portion of that was accomplished by Lily Hagerty, who reached double digits in the third, as well as Liz Gehweiler who sent up a prayer as the shot clock expired, making the three late the third to cut the margin to 6. The third quarter ended with Jessup trailing, 49-43.

The Warriors would finish strong with their best quarter yet coming in the fourth. With five minutes left, Hagerty took a layup and a jumper to tie up the game. Those back-to-back baskets were followed up by a Gehweiler layup to take the lead for the first time since the first quarter and from the on the Warriors went on a shooting frenzy. The Warriors would go on a 15-0 run to secure the win down the stretch.

Before the beginning of the quarter only Hagerty was in double digits; however, by the end of the game, two other Warriors joined her: Creonah Bryant and Gehweiler. Bryant's 14 points were a season-high for her. That drive pushed the Warriors to beat the Oaks, 70-58.

It was a full team affair for the Warriors as the bench accounted for 17 of the Warriors points. Hagerty led the team in scoring with 16 points, Bryant and Gehweiler had 14, Elizabeth Roark and Emilee VanDyke earned eight. As for rebounds, the team was fairly even in their defense as Hagerty, Gehweiler, VanDyke, and JoeLyn Stirton all had six. Gehweiler, while being dominant in shooting and rebounds, also kept the Warrior's momentum with seven assists.

"The energy we played with tonight has me excited entering the final two weeks of the regular season, Westendorp said. "We have a great opportunity for a postseason run with this momentum."

The Warriors will travel down south to face off against San Diego Christian College on February 14th at 6:15 PM and then Vanguard University on February 16th at 1:00 PM, for their final road trip of the regular season.
 
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).