The Troy Trojans soccer team will close out its non‑conference road swing on Sunday, heading to Jacksonville, Florida, for a 4 p.m. showdown against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks. The match comes after a 3‑0 defeat at the hands of No. 6 Alabama on Thursday night, a game in which the Trojans were outshot 19‑3 and saw their goalkeeper Taylor Richards make seven saves before surrendering three goals in the second half.
A Test of Resilience
Richards, a fifth‑year net‑minder, had kept the score level for the first 45 minutes, but a missed penalty save in the 48th minute swung momentum, and Alabama added two more goals in the 79th and 81st minutes. Mallorie Springs, a first‑year forward, managed only a single shot, while Madisyn Marchesi remains the only Trojan to have played every minute of the season so far.
Jacksonville State arrives with a 0‑2‑1 record, sitting 24th nationally in saves per game at 6.67, and has been anchored by goalkeepers Ella Holmberg (4.33) and Rebecca Sierra‑Burciaga, who contributed the two goals the Gamecocks have scored this season. The two squads have met seven times, with Jacksonville State edging a 3‑2 victory in 2022, while Troy pulled off a 2‑1 win the year before.
Coach hopes the experience will translate into a bounce‑back performance, as the Trojans look to secure their second win of the campaign and finally break the recent slump on the road.