SAN DIMAS, Calif. — Looking to capitalize on the momentum of two big wins inside Warrior Arena a week ago, Jessup was back in action on Thursday, taking on Life Pacific. A dominating second quarter, paired with a first-half double-double, led the Warriors to their third victory in a row.
Guard
Andrea Jovicevic was undeniable in the first half Thursday. On top of her ten points at the break, Jovicevic had also pulled down 11 boards, giving her a double-double by halftime.
Jovicevic ended the night with 19 points and 19 rebounds. Her amazing stat line finishes two rebounds shy of tying the program record for most in a single game.
"She plays hard," said head coach
Corey Laster on Jovicevic. "With her, she's a very competitive player. Sometimes that competitiveness can be too extreme. So we always try to focus on how talented she is. And I thought early in the game she really set the tone with her rebounding, not only on the defensive glass, but she had several offensive boards as well."
Of her 19 rebounds, 11 came on the defensive end.
Life Pacific started out fast, taking a six-point lead through one. But the second quarter is when Jessup woke up, outscoring LPU 19-2 as Jessup took an 11-point advantage into the intermission. That second-half run came in part to Jessup's defense holding LPU to 1-for-16 from the floor in the period.
On the slow start followed by the dominating second quarter, Laster added, "We had a lot of chances, honestly. We missed a lot of bunnies in the first. So they may have scored 18, but I thought offensively, we had plenty of chances to be in the lead. We made a few adjustments, and the game went on. Our defense started to kick in, and any time the ball starts to go in, you grow more confident."
Two other Warriors ended the night scoring in double-figures,
Kayla Vieira and Natalia Moulos. Vieira dropped 12 points to pair with eight boards. Moulos scored 11.
Jessup won the rebound battle, 47-38, in the 65-46 victory.
Still needing to win to secure a spot in the GSAC Tournament, Thursday's outcome puts the Warriors in a great spot as they sit 8-4 in conference action. Jessup remains one of the top six teams in the GSAC, as the top six qualify for the conference tournament in Atherton next month.
The Warriors' road trip continues on Saturday as they visit Vanguard University. Vanguard, currently ranked No. 13 in the nation, lost to the Warriors earlier this season on Horton Court.
"They're a good team," said Laster on Vanguard. "They weren't at full strength when we played them. But they are like us. They are one of the better defensive teams in the conference. I hope we are able to adjust to the speed of the game. It's going to be a tough test for us."
"We know we can play better than we did tonight. The nice part is that the girls were not happy or satisfied with how they played tonight."
Saturday's contest is scheduled for noon.
***
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 Jessup University. Follow Jessup Athletics on social media: Jessup University Athletics (Facebook) and @JessupAthletics (Twitter & Instagram).
