Oct. 25, 2008
HUNTINGTON, W. Va. – Sam Arthur tallied his team-leading 11th goal of the season in the 16th minute of the match to lead the South Carolina men’s soccer team past Marshall 1-0 on Saturday in a Conference USA road contest at Sam Hood Field. The victory snapped a three-game winless streak for the Gamecocks. Carolina’s record improves to 7-5-2, with a 2-2-1 mark in C-USA play, while the Thundering Herd fall to 2-11-1, 2-4-0 in league action. Gamecock goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer played a standout match in net, collecting seven saves to earn his seventh shutout of the season.
“This was a typical hard-fought Conference USA game tonight,” South Carolina head coach Mark Berson said. “Our guys battled from start to finish, as did Marshall. It was an overall solid performance by our team. We’re glad to come out of here with a win, and we now have to prepare for a Wednesday night match against a very good UAB team.”
Despite the Gamecock victory, Marshall held an 18-9 advantage in shots, while each team was awarded three corner kicks in the match. Arthur led Carolina with three shots, including one on frame, his sixth game-winner of the season and 11th overall goal. Senior forward Kevan Hawkins also contributed two shots, while several Gamecocks tallied one in the match.
Maurer dominated in net for the Gamecocks, collecting seven saves en route to his seventh shutout of the season. The seven shutouts mark the most in a single-season by a Carolina goalkeeper since Mike Gustavson recorded six during the 2006 campaign. Marshall goalkeeper Greg Walter tallied two saves, while Dustin Dawes led the attack with a game high four shots, including three on frame.
Arthur scored the lone goal of the match on an unassisted play in the 16th minute of the contest. A deflection off the hands of Walter in net for the Thundering Herd gave South Carolina the deciding 1-0 advantage.
South Carolina continues Conference USA action on Wednesday, Oct. 29, when it hosts UAB in a 7 p.m. matchup at Stone Stadium in Columbia.
