BROOKINGS — Avery LeBlanc scored the go-ahead goal in the 64th minute as South Dakota State defeated USC Upstate in a non-conference matchup at the Fishback Soccer Complex on Thursday afternoon.

The win helped the Jackrabbits improve to 7-2-1 ahead of their Summit League opener at Omaha on Sept. 29.

SDSU got on the board early as Hailee Christensen received Katherine Jones’s pass to the southwest corner of the field and bent a shot past a leaping Caitlyn Davis in the 15th minute. While the Jacks took the 1-0 lead into halftime, Dara Russo answered with a goal from Margaret Edda Bjnadottir in the 55th minute.

SDSU had a sustained push beginning in the 64th minute. After a series of throw-ins, Kaycee Manding passed to LeBlanc, who put the ball in the bottom right corner for the game-winner.

While USC Upstate would have corner kicks in the 73rd and 77th minutes and SDSU would have four corner kicks in the 80th minute, the Jacks were able to hang on for the victory.

SDSU had 14 total shots in the game with four on goal. USC Upstate had seven shots with all seven on goal. SDSU led in corner kicks 9-3. The Spartans had seven fouls to the Jackrabbits’ two fouls.

Jones led SDSU with four total shots and two on goal. Mia Bosch had three shots. Christensen had three shots with one on goal. Laney Murdzek had two shots. Avery Murdzek had a shot and LeBlanc had a shot on goal.

Stephanie Leckwold earned the win for SDSU in net, with four saves on five shots on net. Davis stopped two shots

Russo led USC Upstate with four shots on goal.