ROCKLIN, Calif. – In front of a gym packed with fans, the Warriors opened their 2021 season by hosting the visiting (RV) Bushnell Beacons to kick start the William Jessup Invitational. After a stellar first set for Jessup, the Beacons rallied back strong to ultimately take the match in four sets. 

After the match, head coach Tiger Shelton shared his thoughts on his squads' performance, saying, "The wheels just kind of came off after that first set." He went on to say, "It was our first real game of the year, and we all saw what we are able to do and what we are capable of being." 

Early in set one, the Warriors found themselves down 5-8 before getting back on track. From there, Jessup kicked it into high gear scoring nine consecutive points, taking a 14-8 lead. After giving up a point, the Warriors kept pressing as they extended their lead to double digits 19-9, forcing a Bushnell timeout.
 
The Warriors stayed the course out of the timeout and finished the set on top, 25-15.
 
The second set for Jessup got off to a solid start as they were effective on the attack and took advantage of errors made by the Beacons as they took an 8-5 lead.
 
Midway through the set, the Warriors took a 16-15 lead, but the Beacons responded with a run of their own. Set two lingered on into extra points as both teams continued to battle. However, Jessup ended up losing the set, 25-27.
 
The final two sets mirrored each other as Jessup was slow out of the gate and could never mount a comeback to take the lead. The Warriors lost set three 17-25, and the match ended with a 15-25 final in the fourth set.
 
Mary Padilla and Taylor Dilley were both in double figures with 13 and 12 kills, respectively. In the middle, Madalyn Miller and Preslee Nunez each ended with three blocks.
 
Mallory Pazin distributed the ball efficiently with a team-high 24 assists while also notching a pair of service aces. On defense, Emily Leal led the way with 15 digs, and Padilla closed the night out with 13.

Coach Shelton finished by saying, "We still have some really young girls and new players who are still getting used to this whole thing. We got some adjustments we have to make, but the future looks bright, and I'm excited for tomorrow!"
 
The Warriors will look to fix any mistakes from tonight's loss when they return to play tomorrow afternoon against Oregon Tech. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m.
   
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).