JACKSONVILLE – After a pair of defensive battles last weekend, the Jacksonville State soccer team saw itself in a shootout with Austin Peay on Friday in a thrilling 4-3 decision at the JSU Soccer Field.

The Gamecocks moved to .500 on the season overall and more importantly improved to 3-1-1 in Ohio Valley Conference play.  With Tennessee Tech falling to Eastern Illinois earlier on Friday, JSU moved in to sole possession of second place and on the heels of OVC frontrunner, Murray State.  The Racers will come to Jacksonville on Sunday holding on to first place at 4-0 after edging Belmont, 1-0, on Friday in Nashville.

After holding its opponents scoreless for the last 304 minutes, dating back to the Tennessee Tech match, JSU surrendered the first goal of the night in the 28^th minute.  APSU's Gina Fabbrro netted a ball off of a corner kick from Nicole Wojcik to give the Lady Govs the early advantage.

JSU responded four minutes later on one of its corner kick opportunities as Mackenzie Bellows booted a ball toward the goal to give Justine Panchuk a solid look at scoring and she delivered with her first career goal.  With time winding down in the first 45 minutes, both teams looked like it would be a 1-all deadlock going into the break, but freshman Claire Petersen belted the ball in to the back of the net with just 1.1 seconds left in the first half to give Jax State momentum.

JSU and Petersen came out of the halftime break with momentum and added her second goal of the night as she beat an APSU defender and past the keeper for her second goal of the night. 

The Gamecocks looked in control of the match with a two-goal margin, but knew the Lady Govs would make runs at them to equalize.  APSU put its second goal of the night on the board in 59^th minute after Mckenzie Dixon connected on a shot after dribbling past JSU's defense.  APSU kept the pressure on JSU the rest of the way and tallied the equalizing goal in the 85^th minute off the foot of Fabbro again.

After a 3-all deadlock and looking like JSU would play in a third extra session contest in a row, senior Courtney Hurt sent a ball in front of the APSU net and it was mishandled by the goalkeeper and slid in to the net for the eventual game-winner moments after APSU equalized.

JSU finished with 16 shots and half of them on goal, while the Lady Govs countered with 12 total shots.  APSU benefited from six of its eight corner kicks in the second half.

The soccer program held an auction prior and through the first 45 minutes to benefit child abuse prevention and raised over $1,500 towards the cause with the auction.

JSU and the Racers will square off on Sunday at 1 p.m. in a key OVC contest.  The 2015 seniors will be honored prior to the start of the match at 12:40.  Ad mission is free to all JSU soccer matches.