Oct. 20, 2009
| Coach Berson |
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Gamecock men’s soccer team suffered a 3-0 loss to No. 3 Wake Forest on Tuesday evening in non-conference action at Stone Stadium. The loss drops Carolina’s overall record to 7-5-2, while the Demon Deacons improve to 10-2-2 on the year. South Carolina goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer collected a season-high eight saves in the match, including six in the second half.
Wake Forest held a 21-8 upperhand in shots, including a 15-3 advantage in the final 45 minutes of play. Senior midfielder Schuyler Reardon led the Gamecocks with three shots in the match, while junior midfielder Blake Brettschneider added two. For the Demon Deacons, forward Zach Schilawski posted three shots, two of which resulted in goals, while Chris Estridge added a tally, and defender Kyle Adams and midfielder Sean Randolph each registered an assist in the match.
Neither team earned a caution in the match, as Wake Forest committed six fouls against just four by the Gamecocks. Maurer tallied a game-high eight saves, while Demon Deacon goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald collected two in the victory.
Brettschneider had his first opportunity at net in the third minute of play, pushing a Danny Cates cross just wide of net on a half-volley. It didn’t take long for Wake Forest to respond, as Schilawski redirected a cross from Adams, scoring on a header inside the Gamecock six-yard box in the ninth minute for the 1-0 upperhand.
Both teams had their chances the remainder of the half. Reardon placed one of several long throw-ins in the match near the Wake Forest goal, finding junior midfielder Evan O’Dell who connected on a header that hit the cross bar with 10 minutes left in the opening half.
Minutes later, Fitzgerald collected his lone save of the first half with just under two minutes to play. After a Demon Deacon foul, senior midfielder Jeff Scannella tapped a Carolina free kick to Brettschneider, who hit a rocket towards the Wake Forest goal, forcing Fitzgerald to make a save to hold the contest at 1-0 entering halftime.
Wake Forest controlled the offensive end of the pitch during the second half. Schilawski posted his second goal of the match, an unassisted tally in the 59th minute and Estridge scored the final goal in the 79th minute on an assist from Randolph.
In net, Maurer was the star of the second half, collecting six saves, many on shots within 10-yards of the goal.
South Carolina returns to Conference USA play when it travels to face FIU on Saturday. Game time is set for 7 p.m. in Miami, Fla.
