ROCKLIN, Calif. – The era of Jessup Men's Soccer in the Golden State Athletic Conference has come to an end, as the Warriors wrapped up the 2023 season a week and a half ago. Looking to leave their mark on the GSAC as the university departs, the Warriors extended the campaign into the postseason, where the run ultimately met its end.


 
Jessup, who ended year eight under coach Greg Lazaga, closed the season with an overall record of 7-8-1. The campaign also saw the Warriors clinch their first postseason berth since 2018.
 
The season saw two Warriors earn a spot on the All-GSAC roster, senior Donovan Carrillo and junior Diego Nunez. For Carrillo, the honor was his second, while Nunez closed out a nine-goal campaign with his first all-conference selection.
 
Nunez's scoring efforts were tops on the Warriors in 2023, with Isaac Morfin (6) and Paolo Ionescu (5) wrapping up the top three in goals scored for the program this season. At 14 career goals, Nunez enters his senior year tied for sixth all-time in program history, needing seven to match the 21 netted by Paul Anderson.
 
The year got off to a hot start as Jessup went on the road in week one, taking down Saint Katherine (3-1) and Antelope Valley (1-0) to start 2-0. Another win would follow as Jessup took down College of Idaho 1-0 in the Warriors' home opener on August 25.
 
Lazaga noted that the Southern California trip showed that the Warriors were a more mature team than in years past. In his comments following the trip, Lazaga noted, "I think we lose or tie (these games) last year. We've talked a lot about maturity, and we are building towards it."
 
A tough stretch then ensued, as the next four matches saw the Warriors post a record of 0-3-1. But then came a match with the Keelhaulers of Cal Maritime, a day that saw the Warriors rout their opponent in a 6-0 shutout.
 
Victory over Academy of Art (3-1) on September 22 wrapped up the non-conference schedule at 5-3-2, setting up for the GSAC season to kick off in one week. There was a sense of excitement around the Warriors leading up to the first conference matches, with a significant part coming from the fact that they had just taken down a future conference foe in Academy of Art.
 
That excitement only grew, as with the two Arizona schools of the GSAC in town, Jessup got two more wins as they beat Arizona Christian (3-2) and OUAZ (2-1) to the GSAC season 2-0.
 
Lazaga knew the Warriors still had work ahead of them, even after two big wins. As he noted at the time, "It's a great start to conference for us, but there is a long way to go, and we look forward to our next match."
 
The 2-0 start was quickly followed by a loss to The Master's and a draw with Life Pacific. As the conference season wrapped up, the Warriors' chance to clinch a home match in the postseason went by the wayside after losses against Vanguard, Menlo, and Hope International.
 
At 2-4-1, the regular season was over, but the Warriors were not done.
 
Jessup drew the fifth seed in the conference tournament, sending them back to Santa Clarita for another date with The Master's. A red-hot second half had the Warriors 90 seconds away from victory until TMU struck for two goals in the final minute-and-a-half, ending Jessup's season on a 3-2 final.
 
"Terrible way for this one to end for us," said Lazaga after the loss. "It hurts. But I love my team. Our seniors are really special. I'm proud of each one. Our underclassmen are special men. Extremely grateful for each one."
 
The era of the Warriors in the GSAC is over, but what comes next is the next chapter in Jessup Men's Soccer history. Jessup will transition into NCAA Division II and the PacWest Conference in the summer of 2024. This means new opponents, new locations, and new rivalries.
 
Ten years of GSAC soccer have come to an end, but year one starts again in less than a year.
   
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).