JACKSON, Miss. – The Jacksonville State soccer team capped off the opening weekend of the 2018 season with a 7-0 blanking of Jackson State on Sunday on the road in Jackson, Mississippi.

The 'battle of the JSU's' was moved off the Tigers' campus field to Ridgeland High School after heavy rains moved through the Magnolia State on Friday and Saturday.  The seven goals is the most produced by the Gamecocks since they tallied seven against Alabama State during the 2015 season.  Coupled with Friday's 2-1 win over Louisiana-Monroe at the JSU Soccer Field, the program is off to its first 2-0 start.

Jax State had five different players contribute goals, including a pair by sophomore Chloe Doherty and senior Claire Petersen.  After junior Emma Meadows was credited with the first goal of the contest in the 25th minute, Doherty added both of her goals within a two-minute span.  Her first career goal in the 38th minute and quickly added her second goal a minute later.  Junior Cheyenne Carden aided in one of Doherty's scoring plays.
With a 3-0 lead at the halftime break, the Gamecocks quickly added to their advantage with a penalty kick by Petersen three minutes deep in to the second half.  The Hermon, Maine native posted the club's fifth goal of the day in the 53rd minute.  It was a senior-to-senior scoring play as senior Madison Carruthers collected the assist. 

Junior Nadia Plawiuk, who had one of the two goals on Friday, registered her second goal of the weekend in the 69th minute.  Carden dished out her second assist of the day on the play.

Sophomore Alicia Pallister was the second Gamecock on the day to register her first career goal on the collegiate level. Pallister had a breakaway goal to cap off the scoring in the 74th minute.

As a team, the Gamecocks accumulated 26 total shots, while limiting the Tigers to three shots the entire contest.  Thomas led all Jax State players with four shots, including three on goal.  On the opening weekend, JSU out-shot its opponents 44-9.

Redshirt freshman Morgan Lerch, who was making her second career start, turned in a clean worksheet and notched her second win and first shutout.  All three of the Tigers' shots came in the second half.

The Gamecocks return to the pitch next weekend, touring the state of Georgia.  The weekend will begin in Statesboro, Georgia on Friday against Georgia Southern.  Match time is set for 6 p.m. CST.  JSU will move north to Atlanta on Sunday versus Georgia State.