ROCKLIN, Calif. – Offense was found in surplus Saturday morning as the Warriors took the field for their home opener. Backed by a brace from one of the many new attacking players on this Jessup squad, the Warriors found the win column thanks to a 4-0 shutout of the Bushnell University Beacons.
 
Right out the gates Saturday, the Warriors looked to be in an attacking mindset, firing shot-after-shot on Bushnell's goalkeeper Anabel Mendez. Then, with consistent pressure, the dam finally broke when Nadia Vazquez took a Kye Johnson pass just a yard off the goal line for the easy tap-in score.
 
The Warriors kept the pressure up, outshooting Bushnell 14-7 in the opening half, with Vazquez's tally being the lone goal thus far.
 
Head Coach David Nolan spoke about the pressure postgame, stating, "We started off with very high intensity as we wanted to set the tone early on. Although we did that and got the goal in the first half, we knew we were too wasteful with our chances as we feel we could have shut the game out early."
 
Another goal would come less than five minutes into the second half, as it was Johnson this time finding the net off a ball played the length of the field by Lauren (McDougal) Case. The goal was set up after Jessup goalkeeper Olivia Foulk raced out of the box to clear a ball, creating Johnson's run on the Jessup counterattack.
 
Johnson again found the net in the 72nd minute, assisted again on a cross into the box by Case. Two minutes later, Case found the net as Emma Hernandez slotted a pass in front of the keeper that set up a sitting chance at goal.
 
Today's four goals are tied for the most scored in the Nolan era (prev. Feb. 19 vs. Simpson University).
 
Jessup split goalkeeper duties on Saturday, with Rachel Cooper-Huber playing the first 45-minutes, followed by Foulk in the second half. Cooper-Huber made all four of the Warriors' saves as Jessup produced the clean sheet.
 
Defensively, Jessup held Bushnell to zero shots in the second half. The Warriors closed the day outshooting their opponents 20-7 (14 on goal).
 
Nolan said on the second half, "Second half we had more conviction when in front of goals and with that early second-half goal we controlled the half from start to finish."
 
With a win to their credit, now sitting at 1-2-0, Jessup will look to string together some momentum as they welcome Pacific Union College to Jessup Field on Thursday. The match will be game one of a men's and women's doubleheader, with game time scheduled for 1:30 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 & Instagram).