JACKSONVILLE – After Inching closer to securing a spot in the 2024 Conference USA Soccer Championship field in the home finale, Jacksonville State will close out the regular season on Halloween at FIU.

Match time at the FIU Soccer Stadium is set for 6 p.m. CST. The match will be streamed on ESPN+.

The Gamecocks, who enter the last match of the regular season in the six-team field after surpassing Kennesaw State last Saturday, has 10 points on the season. Jax State will also be scoreboard watching during the final weekend of the season with other results from around CUSA having postseason implications. The Gamecocks will be looking to make a second trip to South Florida next week as the front running Panthers will host the 2024 CUSA Soccer Championship from November 6-10. FIU enters the match eyeing the regular season crown with a 6-1-1 record in CUSA.

LAST TIME OUT
Jax State kept its postseason hopes alive with 4-1 win over CUSA rival Kennesaw State last Saturday night at the Jax State Soccer Complex. Jax State got off to a quick start with three goals in the first 45 minutes and added an insurance goal late in the second half to secure a third CUSA win and the eighth of the season. Junior Nancy Almanza gave the Gamecocks the early lead with her seventh goal of the season in the 16th minute. Knowing that KSU knocked off FIU in its last outing, Jax State kept the pressure on with a back-to-back goals within a two-minute span in 27th and 28th minute. Junior Nanaka Inaba drilled her second goal of the season in the 27th minute before junior Naroa Domenech tacked on the third goal of the half moments after.

Domenech finished with an impressive stat line with two assists to go along with her team-high eighth goal of the season. Freshman Alexis Castle dished out a pair of assists on two of the three first 45-minute goals, while Almanza tacked on an assist. After the Owls scored in the 70th minute, the Gamecocks had to fend off a final effort by KSU in the final moments of the contest. Senior Melissa Kuya Strobel, one of five seniors honored prior to the match, capped off the scoring with her fourth goal of the season in the 89th minute. With three points secured, Burke was able to get all five seniors playing time. Kuya Strobel and Laleh Lonteen were in the starting line up, while Baylee Eads was on the pitch for 15 minutes off the bench. Goalkeeper Bailey Dean and Salome Kerguillec came on to the pitch in the final minute of action.

Jax State held a 17-7 edge in total shots and had five corner kick opportunities.

ABOUT THE SERIES
Jax State and FIU will be meeting for the fourth time and the second time as member of CUSA. The Gamecocks are making their second consecutive trip to the Sunshine State after falling last season at FIU, 3-2. The Panthers fended off a Jax State rally last season with the winning goal in the 82nd minute. FIU has won all three previous meetings after non-conference wins in 2015 and 2019.
 
 
LEAGUE LEADERS
Jax State ranks among the top clubs in Conference USA statistical charts in goals, assists and total points. Entering the week, the Gamecocks lead the league with 39 goals, 41 assists and 119 total points. Those numbers also rank among the national leaders in NCAA Division I Soccer. Jax State's scoring offense ranks 16th in the nation with a 2.29 scoring average through 17 matches. The Gamecocks rank in the top-25 in points (19th), goals (21st) and assists (15th).

Individually, a pair of Gamecocks rank in the top-10 of CUSA in total goals with junior Naroa Domenech and junior Nancy Almanza. Domenech's eight goals is listed fourth in the league, while Almanza's seven goals is seventh-best in CUSA. Domenech is the conference leader ins assists and is ranked 20th in NCAA Division I Women's Soccer in total assists. Junior goalkeeper Poppy Bastock ranks third among CUSA goalkeepers in shutouts with five on the season.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE
The Conference USA Soccer Championship will be held on the FIU campus with opening round matches beginning on Wednesday, November 6. The league office will release the complet bracket after the completion of the regular season on Friday.