SouthCarolina-Georgia Box Score in PDF Format
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Oct. 1, 2006
Columbia, S.C. – Sophomore forward Felicia Schroeder scored two goals in a span of six minutes in the middle of the second half to help lead South Carolina to a 2-1 comeback victory over Georgia on Sunday afternoon at Stone Stadium in SEC women’s soccer action. The Gamecocks are in first place in the conference with 10 points after the first two weeks of play. USC also owns a seven-game unbeaten streak. The loss drops Georgia to 6-5 and 1-3 in the conference. Schroeder now leads the Gamecocks in goals with seven on the year.
“This year we are finding ways to get the ball in the back of the net,” said USC head coach Shelley Smith. “Our defense is playing their hearts out to keep us in the game. That one goal (Georgia scored) was a scrap in front of the net and that is going to happen at times on set pieces. The great thing is that we did go down a goal and we gave ourselves a chance to win the game and didn’t stop playing. We fought from being down and we have taken what we learned in the past and gotten better and that was evident today with our performance in the second half.”
Sunday’s match saw both teams play even most the way with the Bulldogs going on top first at the 52:41 mark in the second half on goal by Carrie Patterson. Off a corner kick from Kelly Whitaker, Georgia’s midfielder Randi-Lynn Bruso was able to control the kick and keep it in the box allowing Patterson to score on a shot from inside the six-yard box. The goal for Georgia marked the first time in over seven matches that the Gamecocks allowed an opposing goal.
Despite being down a goal, the Gamecocks would fight back and tie the match in the 72nd minute of play with Schroeder’s first goal of the match. Gamecock forward Samantha Diaz-Matosas was able to direct a 50/50 ball with a strong header that found a driving Felicia Schroeder into the box. Schroeder gained possession and rifled a 10-yard shot that beat Bulldog keeper Lauren Church to tie the match at one apiece.
Schroeder would find the back of the net for a second time at 77:44 to give the Gamecocks a 2-1 lead. Freshman midfielder Kim Miller played a strong corner kick to the far post that found freshman Blakely Mattern, who headed the ball forward. With the ball still in the air, Schroeder gained position and was able to knock her own header into the goal and past Church for the game-winner.
“Felicia has had a tremendous year,” said Coach Smith. “She is twice the player she was her freshman year. When players come back, they are ready to play and are a year older with some experience. It makes a huge difference not just with her but the entire team. The freshmen that we have asked to play have really stepped up as well. It was another solid team performance; everyone was fighting for each other. Each player fills in their role, plays to their utmost ability and that is all you can ask for.”
Georgia came close to tying the match up with just over a minute to play as Patterson almost scored her second goal of the match with a shot just missing the net and off the Carolina crossbar. Georgia finished the match with an 8-5 shot advantage. Both teams had four shots in the second half of play.
“We battled and wanted to score,” said Coach Smith. “We know we can, if we do the work in there. We fought to keep that ball alive. Georgia did the same thing on their set pieces and they also hit the crossbar. They are a very good team. It’s a matter of taking care of your chances in the 90 minutes you are given. Once we scored that first goal, we were able to keep that momentum to get the second one.”
Carolina’s seven-game unbeaten streak is one short of a school record (8) set in 2003. Sunday’s win over the Bulldogs was the first for South Carolina against Georgia since 1999. South Carolina will next head back on the road with a pair of conference matches at Kentucky and at Vanderbilt. Friday’s match at Kentucky will kick off at 7:30 pm ET.
