South Carolina-Kentucky/Vanderbilt Notes in PDF Format
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Oct. 4, 2006
Columbia, S.C. – The South Carolina women’s soccer team heads back on the road this weekend with conference matches at Kentucky on Friday, Oct. 6 at 7:30 pm and Vanderbilt on Sunday, Oct. 8 at 1 pm CT. Carolina heads into the matches in first place in the SEC with 10 points, a 9-3-1 overall record and a 3-0-1 conference mark. The Gamecocks also own a seven-game unbeaten streak. Live stats for each contest can be activated at uscsports.com.
COMMENTS FROM HEAD COACH Shelley Smith
On being nationally ranked this week by Soccer Buzz
“It’s always an honor to be recognized and to be in a position to be mentioned. The most important thing is to continue to go out and perform well. The results have showed that we can compete and be recognized as one of the better teams in the country. It’s nice to be recognized, appreciated and respected but it’s not the end of the season. We know that there is a lot more soccer to play.”
On going on the road this weekend as the first place team in the SEC
“Anytime you are winning, things are better. The confidence is there and we know we can play with anyone in the conference. It’s making sure we show up every day and compete. Our players have done that most of the time and in SEC play we have performed well. We have come from behind now to win a game, just having that in our experience, helps us going into the weekend. We are prepared and are going forward. Any game coming up, especially on the road this week is going to be a challenge. Our players have faced that challenge already and been successful so we hope that they draw on that this weekend.”
On the challenges ahead
“All year we have focused on each game. Right now, it’s Kentucky. We have to take care of business every time we step on the field and that means our next challenge it is Kentucky. For the players it is one match at a time. Every day is a competition and I think they have done a great job to handle, whomever they face, our players focus on that game.”
On this year’s success on the offensive end
“We’ve been able to put the ball in dangerous areas. We’ve had good runs in the box from our forwards and midfielders. We are getting to the end and combining things to get into the “18.” We’ve been able to move forward on our attack and are more dangerous on set pieces. We’ve converted chances.
NATIONALLY RANKED GAMECOCKS
The South Carolina women’s soccer team has earned its first official national ranking in school history and is currently No. 29 in the latest Soccer Buzz poll released on Monday evening. USC also sits a season-high sixth in both the NSCAA/adidas and Soccer Buzz regional rankings. Carolina received votes as well in the NSCAA/adidas and Soccer Times national polls.
SEC LEADERS
South Carolina leads the SEC in several team categories heading into this weekend’s matches. Those categories include goals allowed, goals against average and shutouts. The six goals allowed overall and just one goal allowed in SEC play, leads the conference as well as the seven team shutouts and three SEC shutouts. The 0.45 goals against average is also currently 13th best in the nation. Carolina has also been offside a conference high 42 times in all matches played.
Several individuals are also among the league leaders. Sophomore forward Felicia Schroeder sits in a tie for second place in goals scored with seven as well as a tie for third place with 16 points on the year. She also owns an SEC-high five game-winning goals. Freshman forward Samantha Diaz-Matosas and junior defender Courtney Cobbs are also ranked in the conference for assists, both tied for fourth in the SEC with four on the year. Laura Armstrong’s goals against average of 0.48 is beset among SEC goalkeepers with her five individual shutouts also tied for third.
UNBEATEN STREAK
South Carolina currently owns a seven-game unbeaten streak, one short of a school record eight set back in the 2003 season. South Carolina is 6-0-1 in this current stretch with an incredible 13-1 edge in goals scored in those matches played. Victories in that stretch includes wins over state rivals Furman and Clemson, a non-conference win over Jacksonville State, SEC road victories vs. Alabama and Auburn and a regional win over SEC East rival Georgia. The lone tie in the unbeaten streak was vs. nationally ranked Tennessee.
SHUTOUT STREAK
South Carolina saw its school record consecutive shutout streak snapped in Sunday’s 2-1 win over Georgia. The goal allowed in the 51st minute of the Georgia match was the first goal allowed since Sept. 9 in the first half of that match vs. Charlotte. Following the 1-0 loss to Charlotte, the Gamecocks put together a string of six consecutive shutouts, more than any in school history.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE KENTUCKY AND VANDY SERIES
South Carolina heads into the weekend hoping to bounce back from losses to both the Wildcats and Commodores last year. USC fell 2-0 to Vanderbilt and suffered a heart-breaking 2-1 loss in double overtime vs. Kentucky.
Kentucky leads the all-time series vs. Carolina 9-2 with two consecutive wins vs. Carolina. The Gamecocks last win vs. Kentucky was a 2-1 victory in Columbia in the 2003 season. South Carolina’s other win was a 1-0 shutout over the Wildcats in 2002 in Lexington.
Vanderbilt is 10-1-1 against Carolina. USC last met Vanderbilt in Nashville in 2004, where the both teams battled to a 1-1 tie. South Carolina’s lone win over Vandy came in 1999, a 1-0 win at Stone Stadium in Columbia.
THE ROAD AHEAD
For the third consecutive year, the SEC schedule features all 12 schools competing against each other. Carolina has six matches scheduled at home with five on the road. Following this weekend, Carolina opens a three-game homestand against Mississippi State, Ole Miss and LSU. A road tilt at Arkansas will be the last road contest before retuning home to face Florida, in the final regular season match of the year. The top eight teams from both divisions will compete at the SEC Tournament in Orange Beach, Ala.
HOME SWEET HOME
Carolina has proven to be a tough team to beat at the Graveyard with a 32-16-4 record (.654) at Stone Stadium under head coach Shelley Smith. Those 32 victories include a 24-2 (.923) mark against non-conference teams. USC has won 17 straight home contests vs. non-conference teams dating back to beginning of 2003.
This year the Gamecocks are undefeated at home with a 6-0-1 mark at Stone Stadium. Carolina has four home matches left for the year beginning on Oct. 13 vs. Mississippi State. USC also hosts Ole Miss (Oct. 15), LSU (Oct. 20) and Florida (Oct. 27). The match vs. the Gators is the final regular season match of the year.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
South Carolina has been very successful over the last six seasons when scoring two goals or more. Carolina has compiled a 40-6-1 record when tallying at least two goals in a match, including a 6-0 mark last season. USC is 6-0 this year scoring two or more goals.
ONE OR NONE
South Carolina has allowed one goal or less in all 3 matches played this season. Carolina goalkeeper Laura Armstrong had started all 13 contests.
TAKING THE LEAD
South Carolina has been in good shape this season when taking the lead in a match. In eight of nine victories this season, Carolina has scored the first goal of the match.
