JACKSONVILLE – Liberty proved why it entered the Conference USA opener unbeaten on the the season with a 4-0 win over Jacksonville State on Thursday night at the Jax State Soccer Complex.
The Flames remained unbeaten and improved to 9-0-2 on the season with the result. The Gamecocks dropped to 3-5 overall and will look to bounce-back on the Homecoming weekend with Sunday's match against Talladega College. Match time is set for 6 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.
LU broke up a scoreless contest with the initial goal of the night in the 22nd minute. Halle Engle tallied her eight goal of the season with a finishing touch into the net from Avery Paulson and Ivy Garner. The Gamecocks had chances to equalize in the opening half as they had four-of-their-seven looks at goal in the first half.
"I thought the first half was even and they scored a goal, but I thought we were fairly good and I we had a couple of chances in the first half. I thought it was even going into the half and I felt like we were in a decent place considering that we were down 1-0. The second half, they were just better than us," said head coach Sean Fraser.
The Flames expanded and padded the lead with three goals in the final 45 minutes. Paulson, who had an assist in the first LU goal, added the second goal of the night in the 62nd minute, while Taylor Mason and Ava Goodman capped off the scoring in the second half. LU turned in 13-of-its-20 shots in the second half.
Jax State junior
Nancy Almanza led the club with three shots, while graduate
Melissa Kuya Strobel, junior
Nanaka Inaba and senior
Tori Paul recorded a shot.
With Thursday's match beginning Homecoming weekend on the Jax State campus, the soccer alumni returned for the festivities around campus. The former Gamecocks will take to the pitch for an alumni match on Friday at 6:30 p.m. at the Jax State Soccer Complex.
"We are excited to host them tomorrow and I wished we would have been a little bit better tonight for them," added Fraser.
Following Sunday's home non-conference match with Talladega College, the Gamecocks will hit the road to Itta Bena, Mississippi to make up the postponed match with Mississippi Valley State on Monday at 4 p.m.
