Sept. 20, 2006
CARY, N.C. —The 11th-ranked South Carolina men’s soccer team won its seventh straight game Wednesday by defeating North Carolina State, 3-2, at SAS Soccer Complex in Cary, N.C. Senior Makan Hislop scored the decisive goal, a 35-yard strike with just under five minutes to play.
South Carolina improved to 7-1-0 on the season. NC State fell to 3-5-0.
“I’m really proud of our guys tonight. It’s not easy to win on the road, and it took a complete effort for 90 minutes to win the game.,” South Carolina head coach Mark Berson. “We certainly didn’t play our best soccer of the year, but we fought hard and showed a lot of mental toughness in answering NC State each time they scored. This is a big win in our region and now we have to get ready for conference play beginning on Sunday.”
South Carolina opened the scoring in the 40th minute as Jeff Scannella knocked in his second goal of the season. Ayo Akinsete back-heeled a ball to Mike Sambursky as he sprinted down the right sideline. Sambursky drove to down the end line and crossed the ball into the six-yard box from the near post. Scannella pounced on the pass and kicked it off the post and into the goal.
The Gamecocks carried a 1-0 into the half.
NC State found the back of the net to tie the game in the 57th minute. Jorge Mora crossed the ball into the box on a corner kick and Daniel Fish scored his first goal of the season.
The Gamecocks nearly scored their second goal in the 65th minute. NC State goalkeeper Tom DeStefano came out of the goal and Sambursky got behind him with two defenders in the box. Sambursky’s shot was saved off the line by a defender and Akinsete came in for a second shot off the deflection, but DeStefano recovered and saved the ball.
South Carolina regained the lead in the 77th minute on a corner kick of its own. Scannella swung the ball to the far post and Ryan Leeton headed the ball home go ahead, 2-1. The goal was Leeton’s second of the season.
The Wolfpack equalized again at the 82:49 mark. Alan Sanchez launched a shot from 30 yards out that sailed into the upper right corner of the goal, his fourth goal of the year.
The Gamecocks wasted little time scoring their third and final goal. Hislop stole the ball at midfield and penetrated the Wolfpack defense before rifling a shot from 30-yards out into the lower right corner of the goal.
South Carolina and NC State both finished with nine shots on goal. Gamecock goalkeeper Mike Gustavson made a season-high seven saves. DeStefano finished with five saves for the Wolfpack.
The Gamecocks return home to open Conference USA play on Sunday, Sept. 24, against No. 15 Memphis. The match is set for a 1 p.m. start at Stone Stadium.
