Oct. 26, 2003
Starkville, Miss. – Amanda Thurber’s goal in the 81st minute lifted the South Carolina women’s soccer team to a 1-0 win vs. Mississippi State on Sunday afternoon on a cool afternoon in Starkville, Mississippi. The win improves Carolina to 10-6-3 and 3-3-2 in the SEC while Mississippi State falls to 8-8-2 and 2-5-1 in the SEC. Carolina returns to action on Saturday, November 1 at Florida with the match set for Noon, the Gamecocks’ final regular season match of the season.
“I think we came out and played a very strong match,” said USC head coach Shelley Smith. “We knew we had to get a win and I thought our players handled the pressure and performed. We were able to get our offensive attack going, create opportunities, keep the pressure on their end and Amanda found the back of the net.”
Carolina controlled the majority of play and offense for most of the match with a 9-6 shot advantage and all five corner kicks on the afternoon. USC came close to goals in the first half from Thurber and Jessi Swaim that were negated by Bulldog goalkeeper Luisa Marzotto. On a one-timer in the box, Swaim knocked a shot that Marzotto made a diving save on. MSU’s Betty Ann Casey also came close with a couple of scoring opportunities with Carolina goalkeeper Elise Matthews making a key diving save on one attempt.
The Gamecocks took the one goal lead at 80:53. Off a corner kick from Shelly Hoddeson, Carolina defender Kimmy Criss gained control and on the touch found Thurber, who launched a shot from the top of the 18 to the high right corner beyond the reach of Marzotto for her second goal of the year and a Carolina lead.
Carolina finished its regular season schedule 2-0-2 vs. SEC Western Division teams and did not allow a goal in both matches this weekend at Ole Miss and Mississippi State. Carolina goalkeeper Elise Matthews now owns seven shutouts on the year for the Gamecocks.
