NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Jacksonville State soccer team dropped a 4-1 decision to Lipscomb on Thursday night in ASUN West Division competition at the Lipscomb Soccer Complex.

The Bisons (10-4-1, 5-2 ASUN) tallied three second half goals to extend a 1-0 halftime lead over the Gamecocks, who dropped to 6-8-2 overall and 2-4-1 in ASUN action. Jax State returns to the pitch on Sunday, hosting Eastern Kentucky in a key ASUN West Division match. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at the JSU Soccer Field. Sunday is also Senior Day as the program will honor the senior class prior to the match. Admission is free to all JSU soccer matches. The JSU-EKU battle will be streamed on ESPN+.

LU overpowered JSU in the second half with 10 of its 19 shots coming in the final 45 minutes. After the Bisons jumped on the scoreboard with a goal five minutes into the contest, off the foot of Molly Grant, LU took advantage of its depth over JSU in the second half. The Bisons extended the lead in the 68th minute with a netted shot by Haley Williams, followed by LU's third goal coming eight minutes later with Skye Baun's goal.

The two clubs traded penalty kick goals in the 81st and 87th minute respectively. Freshman Kylie Wells produced the PK goal for the Gamecocks, while Kristi Jones recorded LU's PK goal. The Gamecocks were held to five shots on the night and did not have a corner kick situation in the match.

"I thought we played really well in the first 45 minutes and we kept the ball and defended it really well. I think in the second half, they just wore us down with a relentless pressure on the ball from them (Lipscomb) and we struggled to keep it in the second half," said head coach Neil Macdonald.

The Gamecocks welcomed back freshman Laleh Lonteen back to action after missing time due to an injury. JSU has lost key players in certain spots throughout the lineup this season.

"I think this was a learning experience coming to play one of the top teams in the conference. We have to learn from tonight and they are a quality program and play relentless as a team. I think it is something to admire and strive for," add Macdonald.

JSU remains in the mix for one of the eight spots for the ASUN Soccer Championship at the end of the month with two matches left in the regular season. Following Sunday's home date with EKU, JSU will close out the regular season on Friday, Oct. 22 at in-state rival North Alabama.

"We just have to put this one behind us and learn from it and be prepared to go at it again on Sunday. I think if we play as hard as we did tonight and the commitment we showed tonight, we can close out the season strong," continued Macdonald.

JSU will honor Alicia Pallister, Auset Gibbs, Reilly Kucko, Cephana Deane and Julia Papa before taking the pitch against the Colonels. Kucko, Deane and Papa have another year of eligibility but will complete their Gamecock career this season.

"They are really good quality people on and off the field and they have given the program everything over the course of their four years and we have seen good leadership from this group," added Macdonald.

The Colonels fell on the road at Central Arkansas in the battle for the top spot in the ASUN West Division.