COSTA MESA, Calif. – The Warriors put their 11-game win streak on the line Thursday night as the GSAC season rolled into Costa Mesa. Taking on the No. 10 ranked Vanguard Lions, Jessup kept it close in the first two periods before a game plan change from the Lions flipped things in the second half.
Jessup came into the contest 15-1 on the season, and with the 66-54 defeat, they fell to 2-1 in conference action.
Makaila Napoleon led the scoring as she dropped 15 points on 7 of 10 from the floor. Napoleon added a team-leading seven rebounds to her stat line, as the Warriors totaled 36 as a team on the court at Orange Coast College.
Andrea Jovicevic was the other Jessup player in double-figures as she added 13.
Vanguard saw a trio of players drop 17 points in the victory, including GSAC Player of the Week Melissa Akullu. Akullu ended the game, leading all players in rebounding with 14, as the two teams split the rebound game 36-36.
The contest was neck-and-neck in the opener, as the two teams ended the first quarter tied at 13. The Warriors outscored Vanguard 18-15 in the second period, sending Jessup into the locker room with a three-point advantage.
Vanguard then switched up their attack, as they transitioned from man-to-man into a zoon defensively. The switch stifled the Warriors, who put up just nine points.
The Lions kept with the zone and trap in the fourth, as they held on for the 12-point victory, moving them to 9-2 overall and a perfect 3-0 in GSAC play.
Jessup will remain in Southern California for the weekend as they are scheduled to take on Hope International on Saturday. Saturday's contest is scheduled for noon. The Warriors will then be in Atherton next week as the road stint continues.
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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).
