JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State netted a pair of goals within minutes of each other in the second half to oust Morehead State, 2-1, in the Ohio Valley Conference opener for both sides on Thursday night at the JSU Soccer Field.

The win improved Jax State's overall mark to 4-5 on the season and won the league opener for the third time in the last four seasons dating back to the 2012 season.  JSU has now won back-to-back OVC lidlifters for the first time since the 2010 and 2011 seasons.  The Eagles of MSU fell to 3-6-1 overall and dropped its first contest to the Gamecocks for the first time since the 2005 campaign.

Dating back to last season, Jax State has now won seven of its last 11 matches against OVC competition.

After playing to a scoreless deadlock for the first 50 minutes, JSU moved the ball deep in to the Eagles' final half as junior Mackenzie Bellows drilled a shot that deflected off of MSU's goalkeeper, Kaitlyn Murphy's hands and in to the net just inside the right post in the 51^st minute.

With momentum on their side the Gamecocks pushed the tempo against the Eagles and produced the eventual game-winning goal off the foot of senior Kelsey Bright.  Moments after Bellows' first goal of the season, Bright drilled a shot from 35 yards out past Murphy and in to the left side of the net.  It was Bright's second goal of the season and the 24^th of her career.  She maintains the fourth spot on the program's all-time goals list.

The Eagles sliced the lead in half in the 69^th minute with a score by Haley Best.  Best slid a ball past JSU keeper Caroline Robinson for MSU's lone goal of the contest.  The Eagles had ample chances in the final 45 minutes with 10 of their 15 total shots in the second half.  MSU also had 10 corner kick opportunities, while JSU was limited to one late in the contest.  The Gamecocks registered 13 shots in the match with eight of the final tally coming in the opening half.

JSU will have two days to prep for Tennessee Tech as the two sides will close out the first weekend of conference play on Sunday, Sept. 27 at the JSU Soccer Field.  Kick off is set for 1 p.m. and admission is free to all JSU Soccer matches.  TTU opened league play with a 1-0 decision over Belmont on Thursday.