SANTA CLARITA, Calif. – It is extremely difficult to beat a team three times in a row in any sport. With the GSAC Tournament officially underway, the Warriors needed to find a way to defeat a team they lost to twice in the regular season as they took on three-seed Hope International.
 
A trip to the GSAC Semifinals is not in the cards for the Warriors in 2022, as their season ends with a 56-38 defeat.
 
"This was my first year getting to know the conference. It was a good measuring stick for me," said head coach Corey Laster on what is now the end of his first season with the Warriors.
 
"I'm going to stick around to watch the tournament games and get a good idea at the type of players we need to recruit for the future, but also ways to get our current players better."
 
Cheyenne Jankulovski led the Warriors with 13 points in what turned into the final game of her collegiate career. On top of the scoring, the fifth-year guard pulled down 8 rebounds that also led the way for Jessup.
 
Hope International took an early 12-9 lead through the first quarter, and after an even 15-15 second period, the Warriors entered the locker room trailing by just three points.
 
The game was broken open in the third as HIU held Jessup to just eight points, followed by a 15-6 advantage in the fourth quarter. Jessup shot just 5-of-26 in the final two periods of Thursday's game.
 
Jessup came into the game with a limited roster, as injuries throughout the team gave them a smaller rotation to work with.
 
"I thought it showed quite a bit," said Laster on the effects of the injuries. "We lost so much on offense for a team that, you know, is okay offensively, and they work really hard. I just didn't think we could score enough, and they did a great job defensively."
 
"We just have to score the ball better. That's what we have to work on and go find throughout the offseason."
 
Hope International advances to the GSAC Semifinal round, where they will take on either The Master's University or Vanguard.
 
With the loss Thursday, Jessup closes year one under Laster with an overall record of 14-17.
 
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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).