LYNCHBURG, Va. – Jacksonville State dropped a tough Thursday night Conference USA match to Liberty, 2-1, at Osborne Stadium on the LU campus.

The Gamecocks dropped to 6-7-2 overall and 1-3-2 in CUSA action and will now head to South Florida for a Sunday morning match against Florida International. Match time is set for 10 a.m. CT. The match wil be streamed on ESPN+.

LU posted its first goal of the night six minutes deep into the contest. LU's Rachel DeRuby netted one of her two shots in the contest.

The Flames would take that advantage to the halftime break – a break that lasted nearly two hours after one of bank of lights at Osborne Stadium was not operable. LU officials were able to get the bank of lights working and the teams resumed play.

"It was really to good see us respond the way that we did after the long break. We talked about refocus and we had a similar situation happen to us at Tennessee," said head coach Sean Fraser. "I thought they came out with really good intensity in the first five minutes and we scored a brilliant goal and we just let it slip away."

Jax State responded nicely after the delay as it would put the equalizing goal on the scoreboard in the 61st minute. Junior Laleh Lonteen moved into a tie for the top spot in CUSA in total goals with her eighth goal of the season to bring the game back to level. Junior Kylie Wells was credited with the assist on the scoring play, which was her fifth of the season. Lonteen matched FIU's Nikole Sollis, who also entered Thursday's action with eight goals.

LU's Saydie Holland quickly responded to the Gamecocks equalizing as she would turn in the game-winning goal moments after Lonteen's goal.

"We didn't have the composure necessary to refocus on the next phase of the game and that is something that we need to learn from in that situation," added Fraser. "In terms of our fight to get back in the game, we created five or six chances."

The Flames survived a late scoring threat by the Gamecocks to pick up the win. LU finished with a 19-9 advantage in shots, including four on-goal looks. Lonteen, Naroa Domenech and Wells combined for eight-of-the-nine shots in the setback.

Sophomore goalkeeper Bailey Dean finished with six saves on the night.