JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State soccer team wrapped up the opening weekend of the 2019 season with a 2-0 win over Florida International on Sunday afternoon in the home opener for the Gamecocks.
For the second consecutive year, Jax State turned two wins on the first week of the season. Last season, JSU opened with wins over Louisiana-Monroe and Jackson State. JSU opened the season on Friday with a 7-0 road win at Alcorn State. The Gamecocks capped off the weekend, out shooting the opposition, 46-7. FIU drops to 0-2 on the season.
After a scoreless 49 minutes and 10 combined shots in the first half, JSU senior
Cheyenne Carden posted the eventual game-winning goal in the 50th minute. Carden delivered her second goal of the weekend from the right side of the box after taking a direct feed from junior
Alicia Pallister. Pallister collected her second assist of the first weekend of action after dishing out an assist on Friday at ASU. Carden, from Huntsville, Alabama, had three total shots. Jax State matched the two clubs' shot total of the opening 45 minutes with 10 in the second half. After seven looks at goal in the first half, FIU was held to one shot in the second half.
"We knew it was going to be a physical battle coming in to the match and we knew that they were a strong and powerful team and that we would have to match them in the first half and then once we did that, we felt like our soccer could take over and I think that is what we did," said head coach
Neil Macdonald. It was a battle and there were some moments that we created some chances and we fortunately took them. We are pleased with the weekend but have many things to work on."
Transfer
Cephana Deane was able to take one of those chances in the 80th minute as she was able to get around the Panther keeper for her first goal as a Gamecocks. Deane joined the JSU program after one season at James Madison University.
Senior
Emma Meadows and Carden paced the Gamecocks' attack with three shot attempts, while Pallister added a pair of shots.
"Cheyenne (Carden) always puts in an incredible shift no matter what position she is in and she is just gets up and down the field and very relentless," mentioned Macdonald. "When you have players with that mentality it can shift the game into your favor."
The Gamecocks return to the pitch on Friday, August 30, hosting Lipscomb at the JSU Soccer Field. Match time is set for 7 p.m. The Bisons won the Atlantic Sun Conference in 2018 and reached the round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. Admission is free to all JSU JSU home soccer matches.
"We have a lot of work to do this week and they are a really quality program. It is the type of test that we want to see where we are at. It is great to start the year off at 2-0, we just have to build on it."
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