JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Ashley Streid and Jessie Morgan scored goals and Eastern Illinois women's soccer limited Jacksonville State to only two shot attempts to end its nine-game (0-7-2) winless drought away from home, winning in 2-0 fashion Sunday afternoon.

Streid scored her second goal of the year and fifth career only 12 seconds before halftime. She capitalized on a rebound after JSU goalkeeper Ali Koenig made an initial save on a shot by Samantha Rall. Four of Streid's five career goals have now been game-winners. She also scored against Jax State (3-8-1, 1-1 OVC) for the second year in a row.

Morgan accounted for an insurance goal in the 85th minute, deflecting in an Ashley Eck corner kick with her knee on the right side of the 18-yard box. It was Morgan's first goal as a Panther. She joined Elise Farrelly as EIU players to score their first career goals this fall.

Eck, meanwhile, leads the team with three assists this season.

With the EIU defense limiting the Gamecocks' chances, Kaylin Lorbert only had to make one save to earn her fourth shutout of the season and 10th career. Defender Hillary Blake was the lone EIU field player to go the distance. Streid, who did not start for the first time this year, logged 67 minutes to lead the reserves.

 

The Panthers (4-6-2, 1-1 OVC) were a much more active team in the second half. After going without a corner kick chance and recording only two shots on goal in the first half, EIU managed to create five corners and put five of its eight shots on goal in the final 45 minutes.

 

“Competitive-wise we had a strong start to both halves,” EIU head coach Summer Perala said. “But we definitely connected more passes and created more opportunities in second half. The first goal was setup by Sam Rall. The ball was played in to her and she did a nice job of keeping her head up. She made a defender commit, got the shot off and Streid put the rebound away.

 

“Jacksonville State was much more dangerous than us in the first half. They are a lot better than the stats say today.”

 

The Gamecocks opened Ohio Valley Conference play with a 2-1 home win against Southeast Missouri State Friday. Eastern takes on SEMO next Sunday in the finale of its current six-game road stretch.

But first EIU returns to action Friday for a 7 p.m. night game at SIU Edwardsville. The Cougars will be a full-fledged conference rival next season but are still completing their reclassification process from Division II to Division I and are not playing a full OVC schedule this fall. Eastern and SIUE have not played since 1995, EIU's inaugural season.