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JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Senior Kristan Paynter scored off a cross from freshman Cassie Smith in the 45th minute to lift the Eastern Kentucky University soccer team to a 1-0 win over Jacksonville State in the Colonels' Ohio Valley Conference opener on Friday night at JSU Soccer Field.

EKU (1-7-1, 1-0-0 OVC) outshot JSU (4-5-1, 0-1-0 OVC), 14-6, and attempted five more corner kicks than the Gamecocks. That aggressiveness on the offensive end finally paid off early in the second half when Smith lofted a cross across the field to Paynter, who buried a shot in the upper left corner of the net. It was Paynter's team-leading second goal of the season.

Sophomore goalkeeper Erika Wolfer and the rest of the EKU defense then stymied Jacksonville State for the remaining 44 minutes of the game as the Colonels held on for the key conference road victory.

It was the first-career win for EKU's first-year head coach Melissa Barnes.

"Our team fought hard tonight and their effort was great all over the field," Barnes said. "Jacksonville State pushed hard in the second half to score an equalizer, but our team stayed together and kept the shutout. Our schedule up to this point prepared our girls to put together a solid 90-minute performance."

Wolfer made three saves en route to her second shutout of the season.

Ten of EKU's 11 starters – Wolfer, Paynter, Smith, seniors Nikki Donnelly, Brittany Nomady, Katie Collar and Lauren Fant, junior Paige Larkin, sophomore Katie Bright and freshman Mikayla Brillon – played all 90 minutes of the hard-fought victory.

Donnelly led all players in the game with four shots, two of which were on goal.

With the win, EKU improves to 6-2-1 all-time versus JSU. The Colonels have not lost to the Gamecocks since 2006.

EKU will look to continue its winning on Sunday when the Colonels take a brief hiatus from conference play to face Alabama A&M at 2:00 p.m.