ATHERTON, Calif. - The Warriors took the short trip to conference foe, Menlo College for a late matchup that would conclude in a 3-1 victory as the Jessup Volleyball team clinched their fourth-straight win as they advanced to 7-3 in the conference, top-three in the GSAC standings.

Coach Tiger Shelton commented on the match, "The difference between now and two or three games ago is our confidence. It has given us an opportunity to find ourselves and compete at a high level."

It was a hot start for the Warriors as they delivered six straight points to open the game before the Menlo Oaks hit the board. In the 25-13 first-set victory the Warrior's recorded 11 kills with just one attack error for a .400 hitting percentage to set the tone.

Despite the start, the tables would turn in the second set as the Oaks would take the lead the majority of the set. A glimpse of hope came midway through as the Warriors went on a 5-1 run to tie it all up at 13, but the Oaks would take their largest lead of the night 21-17. Despite another late battle, Menlo would even the match 1-1 with the 25-22 advantage.

Needing to get back to the start, the Warriors did just that as they clinched the match with two-straight set wins in three and four. Another tight matchup would play out in the third set as the Warriors led throughout but only by a small margin. The Oaks would get within three (23-20) before a pair of kills from Mary Padilla and a home team error would secure the 2-1 lead.

Continuing the momentum from the previous set, the Warriors would leap out to a 12-2 lead capitalized by Lauren Toon who had 4 aces in that run. The starting libero had a record-setting 8 aces of the 10 served up by the Warriors for second-best in program history in a single match.

"Lauren is young and she went to the backline with maturity with a hostile crowd in the final set," Shelton went on to say, "she stayed strong drilling the ball for us. To see our younger players lead, it's a great sign for us."

By the time the Oaks hit double digits, the Warriors were four points away from the match victory, which they clinched with another late ace by Toon and kills leader Taylor Dilley clinching her ninth-straight double-digit night.

Dilley led the Warriors with 17 kills with freshman Madalyn Miller adding a tied season-best 14, combined for 31 of the team's 47 on the night. Toon led in the digs category with 23 followed by Dilley with 17. Assisting the 47 kills on the night were setters Alyssa Bartlett and Mallory Pazin each collecting 16.

"We work hard to get Maddy the ball and when we do it opens up opportunities for the team, we're not one-dimensional," Shelton said. "What's optimal is everyone getting kills."

Another road trip for the Warriors is on deck as they take flight to Arizona to take on the No. 1 seed in conference OUAZ on Friday, followed by Arizona Christian on Saturday.

"OUAZ is doing well, she has put together a great program, but that's our next goal," Shelton concluded. "Right now is the greatest time to play them. We're ready to go up there with a good attitude and let God do the rest."
   
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).