LORMAN, Miss. – Senior Emma Meadows and freshman Cynthia Bagozzi collected two goals each in the first half as the Jacksonville State soccer team opened the 2019 season with a 7-0 blanking of Alcorn State at Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium on Friday afternoon.

The season-opening win is the second consecutive for the program after knocking off Louisiana-Monroe in the 2018 season debut.  The Gamecocks will now turn their attention to the home opener on Sunday, hosting the Panthers of Florida International.  Kick off is set for 1 p.m. at the JSU Soccer Field.  Admission is free to all JSU soccer matches.  FIU dropped its first match of the season to Florida Gulf Coast on Thursday.

JSU didn't allow an hour and a half weather delay to the start of the match diffuse its quick striking ability.  Making her intercollegiate debut on Friday, freshman Cynthia Bagozzi posted the first of her two goals in the first four minutes of the match.  The Orlando, Florida native registered her second goal 10 minutes later to give JSU a 2-0 advantage.  Junior Alicia Pallister was credited with an assist. 

"I thought we played really well in the first 45 minutes and we talked about playing with discipline and keeping our shape, said head coach Neil Macdonald.  "We moved the ball really well and created a lot of chances."

After the freshman posted the first two goals of the season, it was the seniors that added to Jax State's advantage.  Cheyenne Carden followed Bagozzi's second goal with a strike to the net a minute later in the 15th minute.  Meadows extended the lead with goals in the 22nd and 31st minutes.  Freshman Gabriel Clarke dished out the first of two assists in her Gamecock debut.  Clarke assisted Nadia Plawiuk on the sixth goal of the first 45 minutes.

"It was a great start for Cynthia (Bagozzi) because she has trained really well and played really well," added Macdonald.  "I thought Emma Meadows was absolutely outstanding tonight and was clearly the best player in the park tonight."

Jax State, who has eight new faces in the program, had four freshmen in the starting lineup, highlighted by Bagozzi.  Anna Luque, Briana Eads and redshirt freshman Chloe Russo.  Russo made her initial start in goal before Morgan Lerch took over keeper duties in the second half.

The Gamecocks turned in a 33-0 advantage in total shots, including a 17-0 differential in the first half.

The fourth senior tacked on the final goal of the opener as Danelle Lindo tallied her first career goal.

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