Three Second Half Goals Power Gamecocks to Season Opening Win

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The South Carolina men’s soccer team earned a thrilling opening-night victory on the road, taking down the College of Charleston 3-2. The two sides combined for five goals in the final 20 minutes of the match.

On the night, South Carolina out-shot College of Charleston 15-to-14 and held a 5-to-3 shot on goal advantage. Ethan Ballek led the way with four shot attempts. Four other players each attempted two shots. Carolina also held a 5-3 advantage in corner kicks.

The Gamecocks out-shot the Cougars 8-to-3 in the first half, with Carolina putting the only shot on goal of the half. Loïc Sony Kong attempted a free kick from outside the 18-yard box and put a good foot on it, but was turned away by the CofC keeper.

South Carolina put a shot on goal eight minutes into the second half when Sony Long nearly put one home again.

Carolina defender Ted Cargill made a stunning defensive kick save to keep the match scoreless in the 58th minute off a Charleston corner kick.

Andrew Goldsworthy put the Gamecocks in front in the 71st minute. Samy Kolby fed the ball near the far-left post where Goldsworthy headed it home for the first goal of his career. The Cougars responded about five minutes later to tie it.

It took Mika Habel just 26 seconds to give Carolina the lead back. Matthew DeJianne fed Habel a short pass inside the right side of 18-yard box. Habel buried it home on the one-timer into the far-left post to notch his first career goal.

Alexander Stjernegaard notched his first goal as a Gamecock in the 84th minute when he put some English on a free kick from just outside the left side of the 18-yard box and put it just inside the far-right post. Charleston responded less than two minutes later, but the Gamecock defense held them without a shot in the final four minutes.

The road victory to start the season was Carolina’s first since taking down Clemson to start the 2007 season. The Gamecocks opened their season on the road for only the 10th time in the 48-year history of the program.

South Carolina travels to the Upstate August 26 for the first matchup of the season between the Gamecocks and Tigers in the annual Palmetto Series Presented by the South Carolina Education Lottery at 7 p.m.

For the latest on men’s soccer, visit GamecocksOnline.com or follow the team’s social media accounts on Twitter @GamecockMSoccer, Facebook /GamecockMSoccer, and Instagram @GamecockMSoccer.