Sept. 10, 2004
COLUMBIA, S.C. –
The South Carolina men’s soccer team kicks of a full weekend of action in Gamecock Athletics Friday night when it takes on the 16th-ranked University of Portland Pilots at 7:30 p.m. The match is part of this weekend’s adidas-South Carolina Gamecock Classic at Stone Stadium. The Classic opens at 5 p.m, Friday with a match between Bucknell and College Charleston.
Action continues on Sunday, Sept. 12. College of Charleston and Portland will play at Noon, followed by the Gamecocks and Bucknell at 2:30 p.m.
Both of South Carolina’s matches can be heard live on uscsports.com. Richard Rowell (play-by-play) and former Gamecock standout Tim Glowienka (analysis) will call the action. To access the broadcast, go to the men’s soccer page and click on the “Listen Live” link on the righthand side of the page.
South Carolina is 2-0 entering the weekend and looking to win its own Classic for the third season in a row and the 14th time in 18 years. In 2003, the Gamecocks defeated Jacksonville, 4-0, and Alabama A&M, 3-0, to capture the title. USC shut down New Hampshire, 1-0, and beat Washington, 3-1, to win the event in 2002. Carolina is 28-4-2 all-time in its home tournament. The Gamecocks are receiving votes in this week’s adidas/NSCAA Top 25 Coaches Poll.
CAROLINA HEAD COACH MARK BERSON
Mark Berson is in his 27th season as the head men’s soccer coach at South Carolina. Under Berson’s leadership, South Carolina has established itself as one of the nation’s premier soccer programs. The Gamecocks have earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament 16 times, including two trips to the final four, in the 26 years of the program’s existence.
Berson is 369-131-2 in his 28th season as a head coach. At South Carolina, he owns a 358-129-42 record.
QUOTING COACH BERSON
On what he is hoping to see from his team this weekend:
“Consistency is something we strive for every time. We need to maintain our effort over 90 minutes, and that’s something that is sometimes difficult for a young team like us. There is some learning required. Bucknell and Portland are both very well-coached, two teams that don’t make mistakes. There can’t be any mental letdowns. We have to be sharp.”
On Portland:
“Portland is a veteran team that has leaders in very important positions. Their goalkeeper, Luis Robles, is outstanding, one of the best on the West Coast. Alejandro Salazar is one the best players in the West Coast Conference and is on the M.A.C. Trophy Watch List (National Player of the Year Award). We played Portland last year in Seattle, and lost a game that was statistically very close, 2-0.”
Assessing his team:
“Our team is developing and getting better. We are learning every time that we go out, and the tournament will be a good test to see where we are.
“I think we’ve done well to create some scoring opportunities (in our first few games). We’ve been solid defensively at times. We’ve been pretty solid in the midfield at times. The key will be putting it all together for 90 minutes, and that’s what I think most teams in college soccer are working on at this point in the season.”
On the Classic field:
“All four teams playing this week have a great opportunity to be in the NCAA Tournament this season. One of our objectives for our home tournament is to bring in high-caliber competition. We want to play some really good teams from other regions. Portland is certainly one of the favorites in the West Coast Conference and Bucknell is picked to win the Patriot League. We will have the opportunity to measure ourselves against some of the best this weekend.”
SOUTH CAROLINA/PORTLAND IN 2003
Despite outshooting PortlanD 15-14, the seventh-ranked South Carolina men’s soccer team fell to the Pilots, 2-0, in the first match of the Husky Classic in Seattle, Wash., on Sept. 26. It marked the Gamecocks’ first loss of the 2003 season.
After a scoreless first half, the Pilots jumped on the board off a Christopher Sanders goal from six yards out. Sanders was assisted by Kyle Tanner and Bobak Talebi at 55:58. In the 73rd minute, Portland added an insurance goal off a free kick. Paul Robinson headed in the Pilots’ goal off an Eric Cronkite pass.
South Carolina outshot the Pilots 15-14 and had a 5-4 advantage in corner kicks. Freshman goalkeeper Brad Guzan recorded six saves for the Gamecocks, while the Pilots’ goalkeeper recorded three.
