ROCKLIN, Calif. – For 48 hours in Arizona, nothing but joy overtook the Warriors as they ran roughshod through the 2022 GSAC Tournament. It was a fitting pinnacle to an up-and-down 2022 season, one that saw the Jessup Volleyball program claim conference gold and secure its first berth in the NAIA Opening Round.
With 12 conference victories, the Warriors made history in 2022 as the program saw the best season in its history. One that started on a high, dropped to a low and ended in a place unlike any before.
The campaign got underway officially with a loss on August 18, the first official contest of any Jessup team in the 2022-23 season. But the Warriors quickly rebounded one week later, a day to remember as the Warriors secured a pair of 3-1 victories over Oregon Tech and Chico State.
Jessup ended their non-conference slate of games at .500, but the momentum was on their side as their made their first historic moment in the GSAC opener, taking down then-No. 19 Vanguard. The victory was just the second for Jessup in 20-lifetime appearances against the Lions, and it would not be the last for the Warriors in 2022.
The Warriors won again the next night, taking down San Diego Christian on the road, but then the wheels began to come off.
Five consecutive losses to end September derailed what was a run of momentum. But as the calendar turned its page, so did the Warriors. With October amongst us, Jessup welcomed Arizona Christian to Warrior Arena, a match that returned Jessup to the win column with a 3-0 sweep.
Another sweep followed the next week against Hope International, setting up a trend. Over six matches, Jessup went 6-0, winning 18 of 19 sets. Just as it looked like the Warriors were unstoppable, the run met its end. Jessup lost in five sets to Menlo on the road, the second meeting between the two teams in 72 hours.
But déjà vu decided to stroll on in, as next on the schedule was a trip to ACU, the same squad Jessup started their win streak against at the start of the month. Down 2-0, Jessup never gave in as they pieced together a reverse sweep to return to the win column. Two more victories followed, setting up a Senior Day date with Westmont, where a Jessup victory would earn a first-round bye in the conference tournament.
History, much like the Vanguard series, was not on Jessup's side as this time, the Warriors had never beaten Westmont. Trailing 2-0, it looked as if the trend would continue.
But in a remarkable turnaround, for the second time in ten days, Jessup battled with their backs against the wall to pull off the reverse sweep. It was now off to Arizona with a first-round bye secured.
The bye came in handy as Jessup took down a tired Vanguard squad who had played 24 hours prior, setting up a rematch with Westmont in the championship round. Jessup wasted no time in this matchup as they seemingly cruised to a sweep, clinching the conference championship and a trip to the NAIA Opening Round.
Selection day brought news that the Warriors would be off to Ashland for their opening round bid, taking on the Raiders of Southern Oregon University. In front of a jam-packed crowd, the Warriors would have to battle a true road environment to earn a spot at the final site.
It was a back-and-forth battle, one that reached the fifth set. At match point, Jessup sat one point away from their first NAIA Tournament victory, but in the end, it was not meant to be. Jessup saw their season end at 17-10, leaving a hunger for the Warriors to return in 2023 and finish the job.
Earning All-GSAC honors in the 2022 season was the trio of
Marina Gonzalez,
Taylor MacCuish, and
Madalyn Miller. On top of that, their coach
Tiger Shelton earned both GSAC Coach of the Year and AVCA Regional Coach of the Year honors.
The honors continued for Jessup's historic season when MacCuish and Miller were joined by
Mallory Pazin as selections on the CSC Academic All-Region Team. Gonzalez even added an additional honor of her own as an NAIA All-American Honorable Mention.
A program record 12 GSAC victories, two win-streaks of six matches, a conference championship, and a trip to nationals. The 2022 season was filled with individuals and moments worth celebrating.
When the Warriors return to Horton Court in the fall of 2023, they will again have their sights set on a program first: a repeat.
***
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).
