Aug. 25, 2009
| COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Gamecock men’s soccer team kicked off its 2009 season with a 4-0 victory over High Point University in exhibition action at Stone Stadium on Tuesday evening. Four different Gamecocks scored in the match, South Carolina’s lone exhibition of the 2009 campaign.
South Carolina out-shot High Point 12-5 in the match, including a 9-0 upperhand on shots on goal. Gamecock goalkeepers Jimmy Maurer and Sean Nguyen combined for the shutout, while Panther netminder Michael Chesler collected four saves, while allowing three goals, and keeper Adam Santiago earned one save, while allowing one Gamecock goal.
Junior strikers Sam Arthur and Blake Brettschneider each registered two shots on goal in the contest to lead the Carolina attack. Arthur scored the game-winner in the ninth minute, connecting on a pass from Brettschneider to give Carolina an early 1-0 advantage. Freshman defender Eric Martinez pushed the Gamecock lead to 2-0 just 10 minutes later, connecting on a deflected corner kick just outside the 18-yard box in the High Point defensive third.
Sophomore midfielder Stephen Morrissey increased the Gamecock lead to 3-0 in the 34th minute. Junior forward Mike Lindsay beat a High Point defender down the left side, and connected with Morrissey to send Carolina into the halftime intermission with a 3-0 lead.
After back and forth play the majority of the second half, senior forward Bryan Lowder collected a well-placed pass from freshman midfielder Ryan Goodwin at the Panther six-yard box and sent a shot past the outstretched arms of HPU’s Santiago for the final Carolina goal of the night.
Senior defender Mark Wiltse, sophomore midfielder Vance Benson, junior midfielder Josh Stewart, junior forward Mike Lindsay and sophomore midfielder Danny Cates also registered a shot for Carolina in the game.
South Carolina begins the 2009 regular season when it hosts Charlotte on Tuesday, Sept. 1. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at Stone Stadium.
