PERKINSTON – In a very physical season-opening battle that saw a combined nine yellow cards and 35 fouls, it was No. 11 Gulf Coast who held off No. 16 Jones with an 89th minute goal to win 2-1. 

Dorian Robinson gave the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead in the 13th minute, heading in a ball that went off the head of two other MGCCC players before it went in.

Xabier Souto-Rodriguez drew the Bobcats level in the 60th minute when he was able to flick in a Lawson Harvey shot feet in front of the net.

All square the ensuing 29 minutes, Alexander Mink found a small opening in the Bobcat defense and used a great pass from Victor Moerck to slide in the game-winning goal with 1:30 to play. 

Jones out-shot MGCCC 18-7 and outdrew them 8-3 on corners but wasn't able to find the equalizer a second time.

Joshua Goodwin had three saves and allowed both goals while David Ruiz Ospina had nine for MGCCC.

The Bobcats continue a rugged opening stretch of five consecutive ranked matchups when No. 15 Pearl River comes to Ellisville on Monday.