JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State soccer program will honor its two seniors on Friday as it opens the final weekend of the season against Eastern Illinois at the JSU Soccer Field.
The match is slated for 7 p.m. and Senior Night activities will take place around 6:45 p.m. on the field. Admission is free to all home matches.
Seniors
Madison Carruthers and
Claire Petersen have made countless contributions to the Gamecock soccer program on and off the field. The two ladies have combined to play in 140 matches together and have accumulated over 10,000 minutes of action combined along with 182 total shots between Carruthers and Petersen.
"Both of these players will be missed by everyone in the program," said head coach
Neil Macdonald. Both of them are great teammates who have lead the team by example as upperclassmen.
Carruthers is a four-year member of the program and has been a constant contributor since her arrival on campus in 2015. The Frankford, Ontario, Canada native has played in 68 matches and has started in 55 of those matches. She will exit the program with her name etched on the all-time matches-played list at Jax State. Carruthers has logged over 4,100 minutes on the pitch. She is four shots shy of reaching the 100 career shots milestone. She turned in her first goal of her career earlier this season against Samford. She has been credited with five career assists, including a team-best three as a freshman.
"She (
Madison Carruthers) is a true competitor. She has incredible work-rate and engine on the field. She has matured into an excellent Division I soccer player," added Macdonald. She is a very versatile player who can play anywhere across the front 3 and also as an outside back."
Petersen has been a mainstay for the Gamecocks from the moment she joined the JSU program and has served as team captain as a junior and senior. She has seen action in 72 matches and has started in 67 contests, including 61 consecutive starts dating back to her freshman season. Petersen, from Hermon, Maine, will move in to the top-five on the school's all-time minutes-played list with over 6,000 minutes-played. Petersen has produced 10 career goals, including three this season. She has netted multiple goals in each of her four seasons in the Red and White. Petersen has tallied three assists, accumulated 23 points and taken 86 career shots. She was named to the 2015 All-Ohio Valley Conference Newcomer Team and a spot on the 2015 All-OVC Second Team. Petersen is a two-time OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll selection.
"In 20-plus years she might be the best student-athlete I've ever worked worth" said about Peterson. "Her competitive mentality and willingness to push herself has meant that she has consistently improved as a player her entire career. I think she has truly reached her potential, which is such a rarity. She truly loves the game and has dedicated herself both on and off the field to be the best she can be. She is an incredible role model for all our team."
Jax State will wrap up the 2018 season on Sunday against the Cougars of SIU Edwardsville. Kick off is set for 1 p.m.
