Gareis Tabbed as SEC Offensive Player of the Week

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina women’s soccer senior Ryan Gareis was honored as the SEC Offensive Player of the Week, the first of the forward’s career, the conference office announced on Monday.
 
Gareis scored the opening goal and helped draw a penalty that led to the game-winning penalty kick for the Gamecocks in a 2-1 2OT win over Vanderbilt. She fired off three shots, all on goal, in the win over Vanderbilt. All four of Garies’ shots this season have been on goal. The win extended South Carolina’s undefeated mark in Nashville to six-straight. It was the Gamecocks’ first overtime win since 2017.
 
“Ryan had an excellent game on the weekend and happy that her efforts were rewarded with a goal,” South Carolina head coach Shelley Smith said. “I am proud of her for earning this recognition and look forward to her continuing to bring that level of play through the rest of this SEC season.”
 
Gareis goal against Vanderbilt came in the 49th minute, breaking the scoreless tie the two teams had played to in the first half. The win propelled the Gamecocks to the top of the Eastern Division standings with nine points through half of the 2020 SEC regular season. Gareis’ honor is the first Offensive Player of the Week won by a Gamecock forward since Elexa Bahr in 2017.
 
South Carolina (3-1-0, 3-1-0 SEC) will play No. 3 Arkansas (4-0-0, 4-0-0 SEC) in Fayetteville on Oct. 16. The match can be seen on SEC Network + at 8 p.m. The Gamecocks were 2-0-0 against the Razorbacks in 2019, including the 2019 SEC Tournament Championship match.
 
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