Nov. 19, 2015

Box Score | Quotes | Photo Gallery 1 | Photo Gallery 2

COLUMBIA, S.C. – It took a shootout to determine the team who would move on to the second round of the 2015 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Tournament, and South Carolina came out on top 2-1 to advance over Furman on Thursday night at Stone Stadium.

The two teams battled for 110 minutes, with neither team gaining a clear advantage. The Gamecocks broke through first in the 58th minute after junior Danny Deakin streaked down the right side and slotted the ball into the bottom right of the goal. That lead held until 18 seconds left in regulation, when Furman’s Lewis Hawke poked one inside the far post to level things at 1-1. Brendan Richardson sent the ball over the top to Kyle McLagan, who pushed the cross into Hawke for the score.

Furman tried to end the match early in the first overtime period, but South Carolina swung the momentum back and ended up taking nine shots in the final 20 minutes compared to two for the Paladins.

In the shootout, both team’s first shooters made their shots, but the goalkeepers came up big after that. Both had saves in the second round, and Paladin goalkeeper Sven Lissen stopped another shot in the third round, while Furman’s shooter missed the goal. Gamecock junior Kurtis Turner knocked in his next shot, putting South Carolina ahead, and sophomore goalkeeper William Pyle saved the next Furman chance to give the Gamecocks a chance to end it. Lissen made another stop, giving his team the chance to tie it, but the next strike went high.

Game Changer:
South Carolina’s tenacity showed in the overtime periods, taking more shots than Furman.

Key Stat:
Pyle had six saves on the night in regulation.

Notables:
• Eight Gamecocks played all 110 minutes.
• Redshirt senior Asa Kryst led the Gamecocks with three shots, while McLagan and Marco Carrizales tallied three for Furman.

Tweet of the Game:

Danny Deakin with one heck of a goal for @GamecockMSoccer. Gets ball at halfway, solo run to score at tight angle. @CUSASoccer

— Kyle Gibson (@KyleisGibson) November 20, 2015

Up Next:
South Carolina flies to take on UC Santa Barbara, the tournament’s No. 15 seed, on Sunday night at 6 p.m. PST at Harder Stadium.