Box Score JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State scored two goals within a seven-minute span in the second half to earn its first win of the season with a 2-1 result over Gardner-Webb on Sunday afternoon at the JSU Soccer Field.
The Gamecocks bounced back to gain a split on the opening weekend of the season after falling to Ball State on Friday night to start the 2015 season. The Runnin' Bulldogs dropped to 0-2 on the season with the setback. JSU has won back-to-back matches over GWU coupled with last season's 1-0 win in Boiling Springs, North Carolina.
After a scoreless 50 minutes, JSU induced a GWY penalty inside the box to set up a penalty kick by senior
Olivia Drapes. Drapes tallied her first career goal with a punch shot past the keeper in the right back post. The Round Rock, Texas native gave the Gamecocks their first goal of the season.
With the 1-0 advantage Jax State kept the pressure on GWU over the next seven minutes as senior
Kelsey Bright took a ball deep in the box on the left side before serving it to the front of the box to find freshman
Claire Petersen open for her first career goal in the 57
th minute.
After a sluggish offensive start on Friday night and in the first 45 minutes of Sunday's contest, the Gamecocks put together 10 shots in the final half and finished with 14 total shots. GWU tallied 10 in the match. Bright and Petersen led the charge with five combined shots.
Jax State knew the Runnin' Bulldogs would make a run at them in the final 30 minutes. After allowing GWU goal in the 72
nd minute, JSU thwarted many threats from the visitors. GWU's Shelby Hoe registered the lone goal after taking a cross from Jessica Ferguson.
JSU sophomore goalkeeper
Caroline Robinson finished the weekend with 11 saves after turning in seven saves on Sunday.
The Gamecocks hit the road for the first time in 2015 as they visit the state of Tennessee for a pair of matches. JSU will stop in Murfreesboro, Tennessee on Friday, August 28 to face Middle Tennessee before continuing on to Nashville on Sunday for an afternoon affair at Lipscomb.
