MGCCC beats Jones 4-1

PERKINSTON — Mississippi Gulf Coast saw one MACJC South streak continue, but another ended Tuesday in a 4-1 win over Jones County at the MGCCC Soccer Complex.

The Bulldogs (8-3, 5-0 South) won their 19^th straight division game but conceded their first division goal of the season in the final minute. C.J. Smith scored twice to power the victory.

"We played really well the first half," Gulf Coast coach Chris Handy said. "We had possession 75 percent of the time, so I was really happy with that. I didn't really like how we came out the second half. We were a little bit lackadaisical. We got a little comfortable, so we made a change or two to free things up."

Jones County falls to 4-6-1, 1-4, but scored with 23 seconds left. It was the first goal the Bulldogs have given up in five division games. They've outscored those opponents 27-1 this year.

Smith (Fr, Brampton, Ontario/David Suzuki Secondary School) opened the scoring in the 22^nd minute. He made eye contact with Austin Miller (So, Bay St. Louis/St. Stanislaus), whose pass set him up for a header and a 1-0 lead.

After Gage Switzer (So, Gulfport/Gulfport) scored his first of the season, Smith found himself open on the left side of the box. He beat the keeper for his fourth of the year.

"It's outstanding," he said. "I hadn't scored in a while. It's about confidence. We need to the confidence to go as far as we can."

Jordan Hall (So, Manchester, England/Royton and Crompton) got his 19^th of the season in the 77^th minute to close out the Gulf Coast scoring.

The Bulldogs claimed maximum goal difference in the standings, but more importantly, they spread the scoring around.

"That's big," Handy said. "In a game like that, where they're focusing so much on packing the box and limiting our chances, that was big for him to get a couple of timely goals."

For more information on MGCCC's 10 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCAthletics on Twitter and BulldogLIVE on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.