MARTIN, Tenn. – For the third time on the road in the Ohio Valley Conference, the Jacksonville State soccer team secured a shutout with a 2-0 win over UT Martin on Friday night at Skyhawk Field.
The Gamecocks inched closer to securing one of the six sports in the 2015 OVC Soccer Championship and kept in line for one of the hosting bids for the opening round with the win on UTM's pitch for the first time since 2004. JSU improved to 7-7-1 overall and 4-2-1 in OVC play, while the Skyhawks dropped to 4-9 on the season and 2-3 against conference foes. Two weekends ago JSU blanked SIU Edwardsville and Eastern Illinois respectively and won for the third straight Friday night with the win over UTM.
JSU registered the eventual game-winner in the 32
nd minute as junior
Carsen Taylor sent a high volley towards the left post and just below the crossbar for her first goal of the season and fourth of her career. The Gamecocks had a balanced attack offensively throughout the contest as they collected six of their 11 total shots in the opening 45 minutes.
Looking to equalize in the second half, UTM had nine shots in the second half but could not get one past JSU's stingy defense and the solid work of goalkeeper
Caroline Robinson. Robinson, who secured her seventh win of the season and her fourth clean sheet of the season, made a great stop off of a free kick that was taken by UTM's goalkeeper, Mackenzie Crawford with just four minutes remaining on the clock. After making the stop, Robinson quickly sent the ball in play to press the Skyhawks. The Gamecocks were able to get behind the UTM defense as senior
Kristen Hoo won a 1-v-1 battle to add the insurance goal. It was Hoo's second goal of the season and third in her career. Hoo finished with a pair of shots on goal. Junior
Nicola Dominikovich and senior
Katt Dowd also had a pair of scoring chances.
UTM's Maggie Burkett turned in a match-high six shots in the setback.
The Gamecocks return to action on Sunday in Cape Girardeau, Missouri against the Redhawks of Southeast Missouri. Match time is set for 1 p.m. The matinee clash will be available on the OVC Digital Network.
