FLORENCE, Ala. – The Jacksonville State soccer team remained alive for a berth in the 2021 ASUN Conference Soccer Championship by dispatching in-state rival North Alabama, 1-0, on Friday night at the Bill Jones Athletic Complex.

The Gamecocks (7-9-2, 3-5-1 ASUN) entered the match needing a win and help from other results from other matches around the ASUN this weekend. Jax State will have to wait out the other league results as the match with UNA (2-13-3, 1-7-1 ASUN) was the lone outing of the day. With the win, JSU picked up three points and finished the first season back in the ASUN with four points. The Gamecocks are currently tied for the final spot in the eight0team field that takes place next week.

JSU will be scoreboard watching on Saturday as they are equal in points with Stetson and Jacksonville. Jax State would hold the tiebreaker over both clubs if they drop the final matches of the season. Stetson travels to Florida Gulf Coast, while JU will square off with cross-town rival North Florida. JSU will also have its sights on the Eastern Kentucky and Bellarmine contest on Saturday afternoon. An EKU would deny Bellarmine from leaping JSU in total points.

The tandem of freshman Kylie Wells and Cephana Deane put together the game-winning goal just before intermission. Deane collected her team-best sixth goal of the season after a service from the left side from Wells. In the 41st minute. Wells added her third assist of the season and finished with two shots to lead the way for JSU.

"I am delighted with the performance and it was a complete 90 minutes. I thought we did a good job of competing and going after first and second balls, which in the second half gave us a chance to dominate the half and created some good opportunities," said head coach Neil Macdonald.

Jax State finished with a one-shot advantage over the lions with nine in the contest, including six of the nine in the final 45 minutes. UNA had four on-goal looks in the setback, led by Alice Bussey's match-high four attempts.

"It was a great team performance tonight, Kylie (Wells) was outstanding tonight. I also thought Nyeemah (Prescod-Beckles) played really well tonight, added Macdonald.
Macdonald will be keeping an eye on the league matches on Saturday after his club did their part in the scenarios to earn a spot in the postseason.

"I will definitely watch them. It is tough that we have to wait and see how things play out, but we have done our part and checked that box. Congratulations to the girls for the win tonight because we told them before the match that it was a cup final and that they needed to go out and do what they had to do," continued Macdonald.

The EKU and Bellarmine match will get started at 12 p.m. CST, while JU's dual with UNF is set for the same time slot. Stetson's match at FGCU will kick off at 6 p.m. CST.