HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – In what is quickly becoming a habit, Alabama A&M (2-1, 0-0 SWAC) stunned another in-state opponent by a 1-0 score as they pulled off the upset over Jacksonville State (0-3, 0-0 ASUN) in the 85^th minute in an NCAA Division I women's soccer game on Friday, August 26.
 
Both teams would come out offensive minded as each fired off six shots in the opening 45 minutes but none would find their way home as both keepers were equal to the task. A&M would put four of theirs on frame while the Gamecocks registered half of that number on net as the clubs headed to the break locked at 0-0.
 
That would continue for much of the second half, as would what had increasingly become a very physical contest. In the first half the teams each had five fouls and would combine for 12 in the second. Those would not be the only violations as things got chippy in the final minutes – right before things would change in the Bulldogs favor.
 
Following an A&M yellow card right at the 84-minute mark, freshman forward Taylor McNeal (Kennesaw, Ga.) delivered a ball up the middle to streaking senior forward Jameela Barrett (London, England). She quickly collected it and out sprinted the one defender near her, proceeding to beat the keeper for a 1-0 lead at 84:19 and set off a raucous celebration heading back towards midfield.
 
With nearly six minutes to play, however, tempers flared and resulted in three more yellow cards, two for the Bulldogs and one for JSU. That would be just about as much excitement that would be left in the game, however, as McNeal put a shot off the crossbar at 85:39 and Kylie Wells had the Gamecocks' lone shot, sending it wide left with 30 seconds to play, effectively sealing another stunning 1-0 shutout victory.
 
Coming off the bench, Barrett would make her lone shot count as she drove it home for the only score in the game and McNeal notched the assist. Freshman forward Chelsie Charles (Los Angeles, Calif.) kept the pressure up as she fired off half of Alabama A&M's shots, finishing with five and two on frame.
 
Senior goalkeeper Laura Jansa (Barcelona, Spain) was masterful between the pipes once again, playing all 90 minutes and making six saves to lock down her second straight shutout. With that performance, she improves to 2-1 on the year.
 
Jacksonville State would rip 12 shots and put half of them on goal but could not hit the mark on any of them. Wells would be the most prolific with three, two on net, and Ali Thomas put both of hers on frame. In net, Bailey Dean was the hard luck loser as she made two stops in 90 minutes but surrendered the lone goal of the game to fall to 0-3.
 
The Bulldogs wrap up a three-game homestand as they welcome Jacksonville – from Florida – to Bulldog Field on Sunday, August 28. That contest is set to kick bright and early at 11 a.m.
 
NOTES
A&M made it two straight 1-0 shutouts following accomplishing that feat against Troy on Monday, August 26.