ROCKLIN, Calif. – Soon enough, the whistle will sound on Warrior Field, signifying the beginning of a new season of Jessup Soccer. But for the Warriors to be successful on the pitch in 2023, they will need to continue building off of the foundation the team established last fall, as the Warriors showed growth throughout the 2022 campaign.
 
The fall of 2021 was a challenging stretch for Jessup as the Warriors managed just a 1-14 record, scoring just seven goals in the process. In 2023, the wins increased, and noticeably, so did the offense.
 
Jessup slotted home 24 goals in the 2022 season, a whopping improvement of 243%. It was the Warriors' best offensive season since 2019, a year in which Jessup scored 32 times.
 
Sophomore Isaac Morfin led the Warriors in scoring with five goals in the '23 campaign. Diego Nunez and Luis Castillo finished behind Morfin, totaling four goals apiece.
 
The offense was cooking early on, starting with a 2-0 victory over Bushnell on opening day. Jessup's multi-goal outburst ended a streak of 504 days since the Warriors last put up a number greater than one on the scoreboard. Jessup opened the year 2-0-2, picking up a 5-0 victory over Pacific Union on August 30. Through four matches, the Warriors were outscoring opponents 10-3.
 
Jessup pieced together a preseason record of 3-2-2, sending them into the GSAC season with a winning record.
 
The opening weekend of conference action saw the Warriors pick up a victory, 2-1, over Life Pacific, which was a needed rebound after a 6-2 loss against Hope International 48 hours prior. A weekend in Southern California followed with Jessup leaving 0-1-1, picking up a point against San Diego Christian after a draw on October 8.
 
Collegiate soccer had a different look in 2023 as overtime was removed from all regular season contests. In previous seasons a match tied after 90 minutes would see teams enter two sudden-death overtime periods, but that is no longer the case, as a draw at the end of regulation is just that, a draw.
 
The Warriors took a break from the GSAC coming out of San Diego as they visited UC Santa Cruz on October 12. The match ended in a 1-0 loss.
 
Next up was the final two home matches of the season as Jessup welcomed OUAZ and Arizona Christian. With the Warriors still alive in the postseason hunt, Jessup dropped the first match of the homestand 3-2 before losing 2-0 at the hands of ACU on Senior Day.
 
Jessup's two seniors, Alvaro Ascencio and Rahil Shankar, were honored in the pregame Senior Day ceremony.
 
It was on to the final week of the regular season, and even though the Warriors had lost four in a row, two wins on the road would be enough to send Jessup to the postseason. Next up for Jessup would be road dates with Westmont and The Master's.
 
A 90-minute fight with Westmont ended in heartbreaking fashion as a goal with less than 60 seconds remaining sealed a 1-0 defeat, ending Jessup's bid at the postseason. Two days later, the Warriors wrapped up the campaign with a 4-2 loss in Santa Clarita.
 
Once all was said and done, the GSAC honored Jessup's Donovan Carrillo as the team's lone all-conference selection. Carrillo's work was again honored as a selection to the CSC Academic All-District team.
 
When head coach Greg Lazaga and his team return to the field in August, they will be looking to continue their uphill climb. Jessup last reached the postseason in 2019, and time is running out on a shot at GSAC gold as the 2023 season is expected to be the Warriors' final one in the NAIA.
 
Luckily, only two Warriors depart from the '22 roster. The Warriors will bring to the pitch continuity and experience this fall as the expectations for an upcoming season are ones filled with optimism.
   
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).