FRESNO, Calif. – The Warriors hit the road on Saturday to visit an upcoming conference foe, the Sunbirds of Fresno Pacific. A fast start by the Warriors gave fans the feeling of a Jessup victory, but goals were hard to come by as FPU netted the only tally of the match to claim a 1-0 victory.
Jessup drops to .500 on the season as they suffer their third consecutive loss.
Head coach
Greg Lazaga offered his comments after the match, stating, "We had some really good moments in this game and couldn't finish on some early attempts. We can turn the corner on finishing good attempts but we just have to be confident in the moment. Once that happens, I think we can be dangerous."
The Warriors came out on the attack Saturday, controlling possession in their attacking third while firing off the first three shots of the match. Attempts from
Donovan Carrillo and
Elisha Burbridge came close to putting Jessup on the board, but the back of the net could not be found.
While the Warriors seemingly had the momentum in their favor, Fresno Pacific did not back down. Scoreless in the 17th minute, Jessup goalkeeper
Gerardo Perez Plata denied an FPU chance, but just a few seconds later, Antonio Lepe had the Sunbirds on the board.
The 1-0 lead would hold for the next 73 minutes of the match as the Sunbirds claimed victory in their first home match of the season.
FPU led the shot count on Saturday, ripping off 13 shots to 7 from the Warriors. The Sunbirds also outshot Jessup 8-3 in attempts on goal.
Perez Plata wrapped up his 90 minutes of work with 5 saves. Elmer Carballo of FPU registered 3 saves in the victory.
Saturday's contest was a glimpse into the future for the Warriors as Fresno Pacific are members of NCAA Division II and the Pac West Conference. Jessup will be making the jump into the Pac West before the start of the 2024 season.
The Warriors will take on another Pac West opponent later this season when they host Academy of Art on September 22.
Next on the calendar for Jessup is a trip to Angwin on Monday to square off with Pacific Union. The Warriors and Pioneers will square off at 4:30 p.m., which will then be followed by over a week of rest before Jessup returns home to play Cal Maritime on September 13.
Tickets for all home matches, including the upcoming GSAC schedule, can be purchased
HERE.
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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).
