ROCKLIN, Calif. - The evenly matched battle continued today as the Warriors faced their second opponent on the weekend in the San Diego Christian Hawks where a first set defeat would serve as a three-set comeback to follow as the Warriors took home the win, 3-1 (22-25, 25-22, 25-17, 25-23).

"We certainly have earned the title cardiac kids," head coach Tiger Shelton said. "Our conference is so even it doesn't matter who you're playing if they bring it, it's anyone's game."

It was an exchange of points through the first set as the teams were locked at 10-apiece when the first timeout was called by the visiting Hawks. Still tied up at 17, San Diego Christian would go on a 5-0 lead as Jesup was trailing 21-17 down the stretch, but a 3-0 run would get the Warriors within one before the set expired. 

Taylor Dilley would record her fifth kill of the match to get it within one, but a 3-0 finish for the Hawks would give them the first set victory and 1-0 lead.

An evenly matched second and third set would again see both teams battling through the first half of the match for the lead. All tied up at 18 all, the Warriors would pull away in the second set led by a trio of errors by the Hawks forcing a timeout, 21-18. 

But the battle wasn't over as the Hawks got within one, 22-21 before the Warriors put it away with a triple-threat kill from Mary Padilla, Madaline Miller, and Taylor Tarble for the 25-22 win and even set score.

The third set would mirror the rest, tied up 7-7 before the Warriors started to tack them on. A 4-0 run would give Jessup the 13-8 advantage and a 5-0 run would get them to 20 first. A pair of kills from Dilley and an ace by Toon would end the match, 25-17 with the Warriors taking a 2-1 lead.

The final set would be anyone's game as the teams battled for possession and lead throughout the first 22 points. All tied up, the Warriors would take another pair for set point, but the Hawks wouldn't back down as the Warriors earned the win with a kill by Padilla and Tarble to end the match, 3-1.

It would be a record-setting night for the familiar dynamic duo as Dilley(24) and Padilla(23) would total for 47 of the teams total 59 kills on the night, the top-two slots in the single-game record for a four-set match in program history.

Tiger concluded with, "Coming after our loss to Vanguard I wasn't sure how we would respond, but a record-breaking appearance isn't bad. But tonight it was about getting the win, as the season continues all we can do is bring it every game till the end and then let the chips fall where they may."

The Warriors will return home next week for a pair of matches against The Master's University and Westmont College on Friday and Saturday.

   
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).