JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State soccer team fell to one of the top clubs in the Sun Belt Conference as South Alabama posted a 4-0 win over the Gamecocks to wrap up the opening weekend of the NCAA soccer season on Sunday afternoon at the JSU Soccer Field.

The Gamecocks opened with a tough first weekend with a setback to Southern Conference perennial favorite Samford on Thursday night along with Sunday's result to in-state foe USA. Both Samford and USA claimed NCAA Tournament bids last season after winning their respective leagues. The Jaguars improved to 2-0 on the season after claiming a win over ASUN member, Kennesaw State.

USA struck twice quickly after a scoreless first 32 minutes of the match. Imane Addi scored the opening goal after finishing off a scoring threat created by Jasmine Greene and Gracie Wilson in the 33rd minute. The Jaguars didn't sit on the advantage as Greene tallied the first of two goals on the day just two minutes after putting the first goal on the scoreboard for the visitors from Mobile, Alabama. USA had a balanced scoring attack in each the 45-minutes halves with eight in the first half and seven in the second half.

Greene turned in her second goal in the 62nd minute with an assist from Addi on a corner kick set play. USA finished the scoring with a goal from Jaen Hilary after Wilson centered up a ball from a corner kick.

The Gamecocks finished with six shots, including five in the second half. Senior Briana Eads and freshman Birta Birgisdóttir each had two looks at a scoring chance. One of Birgisdóttir's chances came off a penlty kick that ricocheted off the post in the second half. Junior Kylie Wells and junior Vanessa Mejia added a shot each in the contest.
Freshman Bailey Dean, who drew her second start in goal, finished with three saves.

"After the opening weekend of competition, head coach Neil Macdonald was pleased with the effort and noticed things that need to be worked on in practice before JSU hits the road next weekend for two road tests.

"Both these games on the schedule early is all about learning about ourselves and we can take a lot out of the weekend and we have seen some holes that we definitely need to work on," said head coach Neil Macdonald. "I thought we battled with them and I think South Alabama is is one of the best pure soccer teams around here. If you look at the goals, we gifted three of them off of their press. Overall, we will have to treat it as an experience where we grow from it and we will be better because of this weekend."

Macdonald noted the play of Dean at the keeper spot in her first weekend on the collegiate level and the play of the veterans in JSU's backline and midfield spots.

"I give Dean a tremendous amount of credit in her second start at goalkeeper and she has been really steady and I though Isobel Spray was really good in the middle and she is just an anchor back there for us. She holds us together defensively and gets everything organized.

JSU hits the road for the first time in 2022 with a trip to Huntsville, Alabama on Friday afternoon against Alabama A&M before crossing the state line into Mississippi to face Jackson State on Sunday. Friday's contest against the Bulldogs is set for 4:30 p.m. on the AAMU campus. Sunday's action will get started at 1 p.m. from Jackson, Mississippi.

"We know what we have to work on after this weekend, so we will get back in here on Tuesday and start to prepare for two good teams on the road," added Macdonald.

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