Oct. 20, 2005
Columbia, S.C. – The South Carolina women’s soccer team will host its final home match of the season on Friday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. as the Gamecocks face Arkansas at Stone Stadium. Friday is Senior Day with Carolina honoring its four seniors before the match. Kimmy Criss, Amanda Thurber, Jackie Welch and Stacey Zelek will play one last match at the Graveyard this weekend.
“They have gone through a lot in four years and they have stood the test of time over that span as players we brought in here to change the program in a positive way,” said USC head coach Shelley Smith. “Unfortunately, the results over the past couple years haven’t really showed what they have brought to the team. We have had a positive experience with them as people. This class has dealt with a lot of adversity, injuries, every single one of them has had to deal with tough roadblocks in their career. They have battled, they have worked hard, they have been such good people to have around and it has meant a lot to us and the program.”
Kimmy Criss, one of three captains, came to USC from Knoxville, Tenn., and has been a leader on and off the field. Despite injuries, the senior defender has played in over 61 matches with 30 starts in the back four for the garnet and black. She was twice named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll and was a 2004 CoSIDA Academic All-District member. Criss also earned the Inspiration Award at the 2004-05 USC Scholar Athlete Banquet; presented to a USC student-athlete who has overcome great adversity with perseverance, dedication and determination.
Amanda Thurber, another captain, came to Carolina by way of Fayetteville, Ga. Thurber has played in 66 matches in her four-year career including all 15 this season with 11 starts. The senior midfielder has been a playmaker throughout her career with six goals and six assists including two game-winners over the last two years. Thurber was named to the 2003 SEC Good Works Team for her community service involvement and is also two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member. Thurber joined Criss on the 2004 CoSIDA Academic All-District team.
Jackie Welch, the team’s third captain, came to the Gamecocks from Cape Coral, Fla. Welch has been a steady, consistent defender with 59 starts in 64 matches she has played with USC. Welch has three goals and three assists from her position and was part of a Carolina defense that allowed opponents under one goal a game in both 2002 and 2003.
Stacey Zelek, a red-shirt senior, was one of the first newcomers to enter the USC program under Coach Smith. The native of Milford, Conn. has seen her most action this year as a member of the defense with 14 matches played and 10 starts. Zelek also played in 15 matches with five starts in 2003 and has battled through a series of injuries. Zelek has also been named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll in her career at Carolina.
“They are great examples of the kind of character we have at Carolina,” said Smith. “Our talent level is only getting stronger. It’s because of them that people come in and say `I love the team, love these players. I think they deserve to definitely have a win on their last night at home.”
South Carolina enters the weekend with a 5-10 record and a 1-7 mark in the SEC. Arkansas heads into the contest with an exact 5-10 record and are 2-6 in the conference. Both teams are battling for one of the final eight spots for the SEC Tournament in Orange Beach, Ala. USC will also travel to LSU on Sunday afternoon.
“We learned last year that it is never over until it’s over,” said Smith. “We have to go out and play and take care of business. It’s a must-win situation if there ever was and I think it’s a matter of challenging the players and seeing who is going to meet that and rise to the occasion. We need to put things together that we know we are capable of but we haven’t shown in the last couple. It’s a challenge for all of us to see how we are going to step up and learn from this and go forward. We have to focus on what we can do well right now and remember the things that have made us strong.”
ONE-GOAL MATCHES
South Carolina has provided its fans with tense moments into the season as the Gamecocks enter the weekend having already played nine matches decided by one goal including eight of the last 12 contests. That ties for the third most in the conference.
USC is 2-7 in one-goal matches, last earning a victory in the 2-1 win over Miami.
THAT WAS FAST
USC freshman forward Mary Worthen scored the quickest goal this season for USC with the team’s only goal in a 3-1 loss at Ole Miss last weekend. Worthen scored 14 seconds into the contest off an assist from junior forward Darcel Mollon. The Gamecocks held the lead until late when the Rebels scored three goals in the final 10 minutes to earn the win.
RECENT HISTORY VS. THIS WEEK’S OPPONENTS
Last season, South Carolina defeated both Arkansas and LSU in late October to keep the Gamecocks’ post-season opportunity alive. USC traveled to Fayetteville last year and earned a 1-0 win on a goal by Ashley Kirk. The Gamecocks then returned to close out the weekend with a 2-1 victory over LSU. Down a goal at halftime, Sarah Lentz and Courtney Cobbs scored in the second half to lift USC to a one-goal victory.
