SANTEE, Calif. – Taking the court for their final match of the year, Jessup (4-10, 2-8) won a dramatic match in five sets over the Hawks of San Diego Christian College (10-7, 6-4). After taking set one 25-21, the Warriors dropped sets two and three, losing 25-8 then 25-17. Bouncing back strong in set four, Jessup pulled through in extra points, 26-24, before a wire-to-wire 15-9 set five win.
 
After three early lead changes in set one, the Warriors started to pull away, and Ashanti Grayer put down a well-hit ball giving Jessup an 11-5 advantage. Later in the set, Marry Padilla registered back-to-back kills, and the Warriors extended their lead to 18-11. However, the Hawks were able to battle back, getting to within three points, but ultimately the Warriors prevailed in set one, 25-21.
 
Unable to continue their hot start, Jessup fell behind early in the second set and could not overcome the large deficit, losing 25-8. The third set featured vast improvement from the second, but it was another slow start that plagued the Warriors as they lost 25-17.
 
Not wanting to end the season with a loss, the Warriors dug deep and played with noticeable resiliency in set four. They came out swinging to the tune of a 7-2 lead, but the Hawks came soaring back to get within one as Jessup led 8-7. From that point on, the set underwent several lead changes, and it was the Hawks who led late, 21-19 and were nearing the finish line.
 
Botagoz Joslin then connected with Cloe Gunter for the kill giving the ball back to the Warriors, and at the service line, Marry Padilla tied the set with an ace, 21-21. A few plays later, with the set tied at 24-24, the Warriors rallied for the final two points to win 26-24, pushing the match to a fifth set.
 
Once in the fifth set, the Warriors were on fire, leaping out to a 6-2 lead forcing the Hawks to call a timeout. Two plays out of the timeout, Jessup notched two more points, and the Hawks called their second timeout. In all, the Warriors went on a 9-0 scoring run as they took a dominating 12-3 lead. The Hawks made things interesting with a pair of points, but after Jessup called a timeout, the Warriors calmed any nerves they may have had. Putting the finishing touches on the match was MacCuish as the Warriors won 15-9 to conclude their 2021 season.
 
MacCuish finished with a team-high 12 kills, and also in double-figures was Padilla with 10. Mallory Pazin ended the match with a season-high 22 assists, and Joslin had double-figure assists with 11. On defense, the Warriors had four players with double-digit digs as Lauren Toon led the way with a personal-best 18, Pazin had 13, and Marlow & Padilla ended with 12. Taylor Tarble was a force in the middle as well as she logged a team-best four blocks.
   
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 and Instagram).