JACKSONVILLE, Alabama (Aug. 25, 2019) - The Panthers fell on the road at the hands of the Gamecocks on Sunday afternoon, as the FIU women's soccer team wrapped up the season's opening weekend with a 2-0 defeat against Jacksonville State.
FIU now stands at 0-2 on the young season while the Gamecocks improve their record to 2-0.
After traveling across state lines to Alabama for their second away match in three days, the Panthers battled neck and neck with the Gamecocks in the first half as the FIU counter-attack pressured JSU on multiple occasions. FIU out-shot the Gamecocks by a margin of 7-3 in the first period but was unable to convert those chances into points. The Panthers did well in suppressing the opposing offense and managed to keep the game scoreless heading into the break.
Ellen Halseth, Kaydeen Jack, Rayquel Berry, Ashley Adams, and Sydney Amparo all earned shot attempts in the first period as the Panther attack fired away at the opposition.
Six minutes into the second period, a strike by Gamecock forward Cheyenne Carden opened up the scoring as she found the back of the net off an assist by Alicia Pallister. FIU continued fighting for an equalizer in the second half but JSU was able to fend off a few valiant efforts by the Panthers, including a drive that saw FIU's attack penetrate into the 6-yard box. The Gamecocks added to their lead late in the contest when JSU forward Cephana Deane connected on a shot attempt in the game's 81st minute to go up by a score of 2-0.
Ashley Adams and Ellen Halseth each contributed a shot-on-goal for FIU on the day, while goalkeepers Christina Velazquez and Julia Gottlieb tied for a game-high three saves. Additionally, freshman newcomer Halseth and junior transfer Yolanda Albalat Collado both earned their first starts as members of FIU.
UP NEXT
FIU returns to Miami for its home opener on Friday, Aug. 30 as they welcome Jacksonville University to FIU Soccer Stadium. Kick off is set for 2 p.m. ET.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Get all the latest information on the team by following @FIU_WSoccer Instagram and @FIUWSoccer on Facebook and Twitter. General athletic news can also be found at @FIUSports on Facebook and @FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.
