MIAMI, Fla. – The Jacksonville State soccer team put together another rally with a pair of goals, but after a valiant second half effort, Florida International netted a late game winner to claim a 3-2 win over the Gamecocks on Sunday afternoon.

The loss drops Jax State to 6-8-2 overall and 1-4-2 in Conference USA. The Panthers improved to 8-3-4 on the season and remained unbeaten in CUSA at 2-0-3. After a pair of tough setbacks on a long road trip to Liberty and FIU, the Gamecocks will return home next Sunday in the wrap up the regular season against Middle Tennessee. Kick off against the Blue Raiders is set for 1 p.m.

The start to the FIU contest mirrored the Gamecocks start against Liberty with the opposition striking first early and holding on to that lead through the halftime break. The Panthers scored the lone goal of the opening half seven minutes deep into the contest with a goal from Catherine Rapp. The Panthers would hold on to that lead through halftime and would add a second goal from a penalty kick opportunity. FIU's Kim Schneider extended the lead to 2-0 in the 73rd minute.

The Gamecocks became opportunistic from that point on as sophomore Camryn Davis would put Jax State on the scoreboard with her sixth goal of the season with a strike in the 78th minute. The Gamecocks kept the pressure on FIU over the next four minutes and it paid off with the equalizing goal in the 82th minute from a corner kick chance. Redshirt freshman Tia Nagle connected on hie first goal as a Gamecock.

"They were two opportunistic goals and we obviously did not create many chances in the game. I felt like we were two or three yards off at times and I did not think our mentality going into the game was good enough." Said head coach Sean Fraser. We can't win games getting down 2-0 and we have done that several times."

The two teams combined for only nine shots in the contest as FIU held a 9-3 edge in shots. The physical match was marred with penalties as 36 fouls were called and seven yellow cards issued between the two clubs.

Sunday's match with MTSU will have postseason implications on the line for the Gamecocks as they currently have five points in CUSA with the top-sox clubs make the 2023 CUSA Soccer Tournament in November. Jax State will honor its senior class prior to the 1 p.m. start time. Admission is free to all home matches. The regular season finale will also be streamed on ESPN+.