JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State soccer team dropped a tough 1-0 decision to Eastern Kentucky in the Ohio Valley Conference opener for both clubs on Friday night at the JSU Soccer Field.
JSU dropped to 3-6 on the season while EKU improved to 3-6 overall. The Gamecocks will look to gain a split of the first weekend of conference action on Sunday, hosting the Eagles of Morehead State. Match time is set for 1 p.m. at the JSU Soccer Field. Admission is free to all home matches and free popsicles will be served at Sunday's matinee, courtesy of Johnson's Giant Food.
With limited squad numbers, Jax State put together a valiant effort in the league opener as it had two reserve players available. The Colonels recorded the eventual game-winning goal in the 21st minute with a netted ball by Monica Rios.
"I thought it was a great effort by everybody tonight under the difficult circumstances. I thought we were excellent defensively and in the second half we started to create some chances to win the game, said head coach
Neil Macdonald. "I have nothing but respect for the girls with how they played tonight."
The Colonels were balanced offensively with 15 total shots, while the Gamecocks finished with six, including four on goal chances in the second half in an attempt to equalize. Sophomore
Cephana Deane finished with a pair of shots, while seniors
Nadia Plawiuk and
Cheyenne Carden added a look at goal. Freshmen
Briana Eads and
Cynthia Bagozzi turned in shot attempts.
"With limited numbers, we were tying to get numbers behind the ball and then catch teams on the counter attack and in the second half we did that effectively and created some great opportunities to get back in the game," mentioned Macdonald.
Macdonald looks at the performance on Friday with a sense of good things will happen with his club with the effort that is being shown on the pitch.
"I can't ask more from them from a mentality and attitude standpoint. It is a shame that we don't have a few more bodies out there to rotate in there," added Macdonald.
Morehead State will enter Sunday's contest after playing to a 1-1 draw with Tennessee Tech on Friday night.
