The River City Rumble is one of the most exciting sporting events in Jacksonville, as the University of North Florida Ospreys and the Jacksonville University Dolphins square off in a year-long competition.
This means that each sport gets its own showdown. Last month, the men’s soccer squads took to the pitch in a match that ended deadlocked, 1-1. It took place at JU’s Southern Oak Stadium, which is also where the next rendition will be.
The women’s soccer teams will face off Saturday, October 21 at noon on the campus of JU. It will be the regular season finale for both teams. The Ospreys enter with a record of 4-8-5, while the Dolphins are 2-11-4.
In addition to the rivalry’s magnitude, losing streaks will provide plenty of motivation as the players duke it out. The Dolphins are yet to pick up a win in ASUN Conference play, and getting their first against their arch rivals would be a great way to cap off their regular season.
If they’re going to get this done, they’ll need some help from their top producers. One of these is freshman phenom Lillian Young, whose six goals lead the team. Two of these came in a September match against Bellarmine University.
Another player to watch for the Dolphins is yet another freshman, Inés Martín. The Spaniard has scored four goals this season, while assisting on three. If these stars can find the back of the net on Saturday, the Dolphins will most definitely stand a fighting chance.
As for the Ospreys, there’s a plethora of players that have struck on offense this season. Redshirt freshman Paige McSwigan has scored three times this season, while accumulating four assists. Sophia Goetze is another redshirt freshman who has made an impact for UNF, leading the team in shot percentage.
With young talents like these, there’s no doubt that the future is bright for both programs. All eyes will be on the present, though, as the squads look to get the best of each other on Saturday.
Those looking to attend don’t need to worry about getting tickets, as it is free admission. However, this does mean that if you want a good seat, you’ll need to arrive ahead of time. September’s showdown saw a sold-out crowd, with fans vying for leftover spots along the fence.
Parking is available directly next to the stadium, which can be found by viewing the JU campus map. If you can’t make it to match, it will also be streamed on ESPN+.
JAXUSL will be bringing top-level professional women’s soccer to town in the coming years, but the Ospreys and Dolphins are a great way to support the game in the meantime. Show out and make some for these athletes as they look to bring bragging rights to their campus.
