JACKSONVILLE - The Jacksonville State soccer team will usher in the 2019-20 JSU Athletic calendar this weekend against Alcorn State and Florida International.
The Gamecocks open the 2019 slate with a visit to Lorman, Mississippi against the Braves of ASU on Friday, August 23. JSU returns to campus for the home opener on Sunday, August 25, hosting the Panthers of FIU. Friday's season debut will get started at 4 p.m., while JSU's first of nine home matches this season, will kick off at 1 p.m. Sunday's contest with FIU will be available on ESPN+, the online streaming platform of ESPN. Admission is free to all JSU soccer matches.
JSU will be looking to carry over the second-half effort of last Friday's exhibition outing against UAB into the season-opening weekend. Jax State put together what head coach
Neil Macdonald described as a solid second half after trailing UAB 2-0 in the opening half. The Gamecocks rallied with a successful penalty kick try by senior
Emma Meadows and had chances to equalize in the final moments of the preseason contest.
The exhibition gave Macdonald a glimpse of the eight new faces in the program this season, including six freshmen and a pair of transfers. The UAB match provided the newcomers with game action that is not easily afforded in the practice sessions leading up to the season.
Friday's contest will be the initial meeting between the Gamecocks and Braves on the pitch. ASU is one of two teams from the Southwestern Athletic Conference that is featured on the 2019 schedule. JSU travels to in-state rival Alabama State on Sunday, September 8. Sunday's tilt with FIU will be just the second match up between the two programs as the Miami, Florida-based squad turned in a 3-0 decision over JSU during the 2005 season.
Jax State will count on a trio of top performers from the 2018 club with seniors Meadows,
Nadia Plawiuk and
Rachel Blanding. The trio combined for 49 total shots as juniors. After injury shortened-seasons for
Danelle Lindo and
Kalea Romano, the two will be looking to return to form before the season-ending injuries.
Adrianna Karpa will help anchor the JSU defense, while
Cheyenne Carden will boost the Gamecock attack.
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