FGCU defender Ryanne Robinson celebrates during a match against Florida Atlantic University at Pickering Field at the FGCU Soccer Complex. The Eagles (9-1-5) secured a 1-0 victory over Jacksonville University on Oct. 22 behind a 79th-minute header by Lexie Bennett. (Photo courtesy of FGCU Athletics)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Gulf Coast University women’s soccer team completed a regular-season sweep of ASUN Conference opponent Jacksonville University on Thursday evening, earning a 1-0 victory over the Dolphins at Southern Oak Stadium.

Following a scoreless opening 78 minutes, FGCU (9-1-5, 6-0-2 ASUN) broke through in the 79th minute off a set-piece sequence. Lily Borders sent a long throw-in into the attacking third, which was played back to her by Ava Russell. Borders delivered a deep service into the penalty box, where the ball bounced past the Jacksonville defense before Lexie Bennett connected with her head, flicking it into the back of the net for her third goal of the season.

“Massive result on the road for us tonight” FGCU head coach Jim Blankenship told FGCU Athletics. “Our bench provided a ton of energy all night long, probably the best they have been all year, Madara [Bome] made a pair of phenomenal saves to keep us in it early in the second half, and then Lily finding Lexie for the goal late was huge. Really proud of our guys tonight.”

Frequent whistles disrupted any offensive rhythm during the first 45 minutes, as the two sides combined for 16 fouls (nine against FGCU, seven against JU) and four yellow cards. FGCU earned a free kick in the 14th minute, but the shot by Sarah Greiner went over the crossbar. Jacksonville’s best chance of the first half came on a corner kick in the 41st minute, but Greiner intercepted the chance with a clearance header.

Jacksonville’s strongest scoring attempt came in the 61st minute with consecutive shots by Julia Delprat, but FGCU goalkeeper Madara Bome turned both back-to-back chances away to preserve the scoreless tie.

The Eagles’ offense came alive in the 66th minute when Borders cut off a Dolphin pass at midfield. Borders got the ball to forward Kaitlin Gabelman before Jacksonville’s defense regrouped for the stop. FGCU’s first shot of the second half arrived in the 77th minute on a curling corner kick from Greiner, which Jacksonville goalkeeper Sofia Mosquera Chaverra grabbed out of the air just two minutes prior to Bennett’s strike.

Bome stopped all five shots she faced to collect her fifth clean sheet of the season, handing Jacksonville (5-6-4, 3-3-2 ASUN) its first home defeat of the year. FGCU was held to a season-low six shots, putting three on goal. The Eagles’ defense remained strong over the final 10 minutes to extend its winning streak to five matches.

Jacksonville split time between its keepers with Mosquera Chaverra making two saves in 84 minutes, before Taylor Gardner took over for the final six minutes of the match. The Dolphins’ offense made eight shots with five on goal, all coming in the second half.

With 20 points in the conference standings, FGCU maintains a four-point cushion over second-place University of North Florida.

The Eagles can earn the ASUN Regular Season Championship on Sunday, Oct. 25, when they face North Florida at 1 p.m. at Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville.