SANTA CLARITA, Calif. – The Warriors made history on the field throughout the 2021 season, and Saturday's contest was no different. Making the first GSAC Tournament appearance in program history, the Warriors battled Saturday for over 110-minutes against The Master's University Mustangs.
 
"We set the tone early and played some of our best football in that first half both in the attack and defense," said Head Coach David Nolan. "The second half, we had our chances and held on, but credit to Master's, they never gave up and got the goal."
 
The Warriors were shot of a canon to start Saturday's match, needing just five minutes to get on the scoreboard. Alhan Bakideh made a fantastic run into the box, allowing her a one-on-one opportunity with goalkeeper Ariana Romero, a chance she cashed in with a beautiful shot on the far post.
 
Momentum was entirely in the Warriors' favor, and it held for the entire first half as their defensive presence held the Mustangs to zero shot attempts in the first 45-minutes.
 
Playing a prominent role in keeping TMU off the board was the Jessup backline of Sarah Foulk, Mia Honsal, Keely Fink, Tess Sando, and Natalia Seuthe. The five Jessup defenders cleared out every TMU scoring opportunity, protecting their goalkeeper Rachel Cooper-Huber in the process.
 
Cooper-Huber would eventually have to protect herself, and she answered the call masterfully, denying the Mustangs' first shot attempt that came on a free kick in the 50th minute. A minute later, on a point-blank opportunity, Cooper-Huber came up clutch yet again with another big save.
 
The Mustangs flipped the script from the first half, as in the second 45-minute period, they had the Warriors playing on their heels. It looked as if the Warriors would be able to hold on to the end, as a trip to the semifinals was within reach, but with just three minutes left on the board, the Mustangs scored to even the match.
 
For the fifth time this season, the Warriors were faced with a golden goal overtime period.
 
After TMU missed on a one-on-one chance early in the first overtime, Jessup looked to have victory in sight as Romero charged out to clear the ball away, but she was beaten to the ball by Kaylee Gillespie, who had a wide-open net 20 yards out. Gillespie took her shot but missed wide right.
 
The match played on, and after no score in the first overtime, Jessup and the Master's headed to a second overtime. Again, no goals would be scored, sending the Warriors to uncharted territory, a penalty shootout.
 
Both sides missed their first attempt in the shootout, followed by a conversion from both teams in the second round. Jessup failed to find the goal in their third and fourth attempts. The Master's would convert theirs, winning the penalty shootout 3-1 to take the match.
 
The Mustangs will now take on No. 2 seed Westmont College next Thursday in the GSAC Semifinals.
 
Nolan reflected on his second season leading the Warriors, adding, "It's a season of many first for this program, and it has at the platform for us to only grow from here. I'm very proud of these young ladies and excited to be a part of the continued growth of the program with them."
 
The 2021 season goes down as the most successful in program history since joining the GSAC in 2014. Saturday's match was the first GSAC Tournament appearance for the program, a trend they will look to continue next fall.
   
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).