ROCKLIN, Calif. – After two game cancellations and 17 days away from live action, the Warriors resumed their season Tuesday against UC Santa Cruz. Needing to knock off some of the rust, the Warriors surrendered three first-half goals in a 3-1 loss.
 
Head coach Amsalu Fantahun spoke about the time off after the match, adding, "They responded well. Just the first half was tough. When you don't play games, you make simple mistakes, and when you play a good team, you get punished for that."
 
Even though the Warriors were understandably rusty, there were still several highlight moments in this one. The first came six minutes in after a foul in the box awarded UCSC a penalty. Julia Hernandez stepped up to the box, but Mya Rodriguez denied the opportunity.
 
"Mya played well," added Fantahun on his goalkeeper, who finished with four saves. "She saved a lot of shots, and especially the PK. She's a freshman, and as a freshman, I can imagine how she's going to play when we start our conference games."
 
Jessup scored their lone goal of the match late in the first half off the foot of Olivia Chimienti. Taking a cross from Caiomhe McKeague, Chimienti shot it from inside the 18-yard box, nearly clipping the foot of her own teammate Liliyana Hernandez.
 
UCSC scored in the 16th minute and then added their second goal in the 25th. The third tally of the game came in the 39th minute when Rodriguez made a point-blank save, but the rebound attempt found the empty net.
 
After such a long break in between games, Jessup will not have to wait very long before they take the field next. It was confirmed earlier Tuesday that Lincoln University (CA) would come to Rocklin on Friday to make up their canceled match from September 13.
 
Fantahun says that Friday will help shape the team as they enter their GSAC season.
 
"That will show us a lot because I'm trying to figure out what's best for the team. There are areas that we need a player, so I'm trying to figure out those. There are players that are not getting playing time right now. Friday's game will give us the final part of our project before starting the conference."
 
Kick-off for Friday's match 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 & Instagram).