Gamecocks Travel To Kentucky For First True Road Test

JACKSONVILLE - After starting the season with a win over West Georgia on the home pitch and blanking of North Alabama in a neutral setting, Jacksonville State will have its first true road test with a Sunday clash with Kentucky.

The Jax State-UK match will get started at 12 p.m. CT and will be streamed on the SEC Network's online platform – SEC Network+.

unday's meeting with Kentucky will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs on the soccer pitch. UK becomes the seventh team from the Southeastern Conference that the Gamecocks have faced in program history. Jax State has battled Alabama (0-11-0). Auburn (2-5-0), Georgia (0-0-0), LSU (0-1-0), Ole Miss (0-1-0), Mississippi State (2-3-1) and South Carolina (0-1-0). Jax State is familiar with playing in the Commonwealth with trips to former Ohio Valley Conference members - Eastern Kentucky, Morehead State and Murray State.

The Gamecocks are 2-0 after the first weekend of the soccer season for the second consecutive year. Jax State posted a 1-0 win over the Wolves of West Georgia in the home opener and blasted North Alabama in the Rocket City of Huntsville, Alabama last Sunday. In 2023, Jax State ushered in the Sean Fraser Era with wins over Alabama A&M and South Carolina State. The Gamecocks and Liberty were the only two Conference USA clubs to post a pair of wins during opening weekend. UK has started the season with three straight wins at the Bell Complex. The Wildcats have recorded shutouts in all three wins over Central Michigan, Morehead State and Detoit Mercy.

Jax State, who has been idle for a week, blasted in-state rival North Alabama, 5-0, last Sunday night in Huntsville's Wicks Family Field at Joe Davis Stadium. n the first collegiate game played in the home of the Huntsville City FC, the Gamecocks took command early with a pair of goals within a span of two minutes in the opening half and added three goals in the second half to snap a two-match losing skid to the Lions in the series.

Highlighting Jax State's offensive fire power in the Rocket City was a pair of Gamecocks with goals in the second half. Junior Naroa Domenech extended the lead early in the second half with the first of her two goals in the final 45 minutes with the first one coming five minutes into the second half and added her second netted ball six minutes later. She also added an assist on Jax State's first goal of the contest after setting up Tori Paul for her second goal of the opening weekend. Paul tallied the game winner in the season opener against West Georgia.

The Gamecocks were solid defensively on the opening weekend of the season with a pair of shutouts and only allowing nine shots in the 180 minutes of action. Junior Poppy Bastock collected the win in both matches on the weekend with three saves combined in the two matches.

Following the trip to Lexington, Jax State remains on the road to close out the opening month of the season with a trip to the Tar Heel state to face UNC Asheville on Thursday, August 29. Match time is set for 5 p.m. CT The Gamecocks return home on Sunday, September 1, hosting regional rival Chattanooga. Kick off is set 6 p.m. at the Jax State Soccer Complex.

For the most up-to-date information on the Gamecocks, follow Jax State women's soccer on X, and join them on Instagram by searching for "JaxStateSOC."

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Players Mentioned

Poppy Bastock

Naroa Domenech

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