Aug. 27, 2006

The No. 24 South Carolina men’s soccer team travels to Spartanburg, S.C., for its first road test of the season on Monday, Aug. 28, at Wofford. Kickoff for the match is slated for 6 p.m. at the Terriers’ Snyder Field.

Carolina comes into the match with an 0-1 record following a 4-3 loss to No. 5 Clemson on Friday in Columbia.

Wofford defeated Longwood, 1-0, in its season opener Friday, courtesy of a goal by senior Joel Kozak. Coach Matt Kern returns 16 letterwinners after posting a 5-11-3 record in 2005.

In the season opener, the Gamecocks got two goals from sophomore David Smith and one from senior Rob Charest. Smith made his third career start and scored his first points as a Gamecock.

Carolina senior Makan Hislop will return to the field on Monday after serving a one-game suspension for a red card he received in the Gamecocks’ NCAA Tournament match at Wake Forest last season.

On Friday night, the Gamecocks’ lineup featured a mix of veterans and young players. Four seniors (Ryan Leeton, Mike Sambursky, Ralph Pace and Ayo Akinsete) anchored the USC starting “11”. Sophomore Brennan Williams and Spencer Lewis, along with true freshmen Mark Wiltse and Jeff Scannella, made their first career starts. Freshmen Cory Lewis and Schuyler Reardson saw action in the match and both players assisted on Charest’s goal. Scannella picked up his first career point as well, tallying an assist on Smith’s second score.

Monday’s tilt marks the seventh all-time meeting between South Carolina and Wofford and the first since 1999. USC earned a 4-1 win in the last match between the two teams on Oct. 19, 1999, in Spartanburg, and the Gamecocks are 6-0 in the series.

South Carolina plays a second match on the road this weekend when it heads to Williamsburg, Va., to face William and Mary at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 2.