Oct. 26, 2006
Columbia, S.C. – The South Carolina women’s soccer team (11-5-3, 5-2-3 SEC) will conclude the regular season on Friday, Oct. 27 hosting the Florida Gators (11-4-3, 7-1-2 SEC) with kickoff set for 7 pm at Stone Stadium. Friday evening is also Senior Night with the Gamecocks honoring M.A. Foster and Erin Geldhof before the start of the match. All fans will receive $1 admission. In addition, the first 250 fans will get Gamecock visors, courtesy of Verizon Wireless and USC players will be available for autographs at the conclusion of the game. Live gametracker stats and live audio broadcast is available at uscsports.com. The Gators enter Friday’s match ranked as high as 13th in the nation in the Soccer Times Top 25. Soccer Buzz has the Gators 14th in the country with the NSCAA/adidas poll listing Florida at No. 15.
COMMENTS FROM HEAD COACH Shelley Smith
On the team earning a berth into the SEC Tournament last Sunday
“That takes off a lot of pressure that we have had in the past. It is nice to know that we have done our job to get into the conference tournament, now Florida is a match that we can go into and just play. This game is going to be good. They want to win the SEC Championship (outright) and we are playing for pride and to preserve our undefeated home record. Also, beyond SEC’s, we hope have a chance at an NCAA bid and competing against Florida gives us an opportunity to prove where we are at as a program and that we can play against top opponents.”
On seniors M.A. Foster and Erin Geldhof
“The two of them have made it out of their class and a lot of credit needs to go them. There were definitely hard times for them to face as freshmen and on forward. This year they really made that final commitment to make sure this team did well and really helped us have that much more success. Both of them have been leaders, played their roles well and done what has been asked. They have been great examples for our young players to learn from. Great credit to them, to be the two (left) of a class that we brought in, not everyone had what it took to play in the SEC and compete at this level, and those two showed that they wanted to be here and did whatever they could. I’m really happy for them that they are seeing rewards this year as seniors before they leave. They both also have been tremendous student-athletes, they did great in the classrooms and are great examples of what dedication and commitment means.”
ONE MORE MATCH
It will be the final time for M.A. Foster and Erin Geldhof to make their way on to the field at Stone Stadium on Friday evening. The last regular season game of the year also marks the final home match in both seniors careers at Carolina.
Foster, a midfielder/forward from Lilburn, Ga., has been a key ingredient to the Gamecock women’s soccer team over the last four seasons. Foster has played in 74 matches with 30 starts and tallied five goals and seven assists for the Garnet and Black. She led the Gamecocks in scoring her first season and was a member of the SEC All-Freshman Team. Twice in the 2003 campaign, Foster scored game-winning goals in victories over NC State and Wofford. Majoring in pharmacy, Foster has been a strong performer in the classroom as well, twice being named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
Geldhof, a defender from Troy, Mich. has been a staple in the back four defense for USC over the last three seasons. With 73 matches and 45 starts to her resume, Geldhof has been one of the reasons for Carolina’s success on the defensive side this year, as part of a back four that has limited opponents to just 10 goals on the year. Co-captain on this year’s squad, Geldhof has also been solid with the books earning SEC Academic Honor Roll accolades twice and being named to the Dean’s List her first six semesters on campus at USC as a McKissick Scholar. Geldhof has one goal and one assist from her left back position this season as well and will graduate in the spring with a degree in biology.
WE MUST PROTECT THIS HOUSE
South Carolina puts its undefeated home record on the line in Friday’s match vs. the Gators. Carolina is the only SEC team with an undefeated home record compiling an 8-0-2 mark this year. The 10-game unbeaten streak at Stone Stadium is a school record with the eight victories one shy of another school record, nine, set in the 1999 home season. Carolina has proven to be a tough team to beat at the Graveyard with a 34-16-5 record (.663) at Stone Stadium under head coach Shelley Smith.
Coach Smith’s record at home includes a 24-2 (.923) mark against non-conference teams. USC has won 17 straight home contests vs. non-conference teams dating back to beginning of 2003.
DYNAMIC DEFENSE
South Carolina’s defense this season has been among the best in school history as the Gamecocks have limited opponents to just 12 goals over the course of the season. The nine team shutouts compiled by the Gamecocks ties a school record for the most by USC in a single-season. The 2002 squad also put together nine shutouts.
South Carolina has allowed more than one goal only once in a match this year as well. The team’s overall goals against average of 0.61 is second best in the conference and 22nd in the nation. Laura Armstrong’s individual GAA of 0.60 is 27th best in the country.
TOP DRAWER SOCCER RECOGNIZES GAMECOCKS IN LATEST NCAA PROJECTIONS
The Top Drawer Soccer publication has recognized South Carolina in its updated 2006 Women’s College Soccer Tournament projections released on October 21. The publication lists Carolina as one of six SEC teams earning a berth into the NCAA Tournament. USC is projected as team No. 44. The other SEC teams to be recognized include Florida (No. 10), Ole Miss (No. 17), Tennessee (No. 20), Vanderbilt (No. 21) and Auburn (No. 47).
ONE
It certainly has been tight for South Carolina in many matches this year as USC is currently tied for first in the SEC among schools who have played one-goal matches this year. The Gamecocks, Kentucky and Tennessee have each played in 11 one-goal matches. South Carolina has the best record out of the three schools with a 7-4 mark this season in those matches played including a 5-0 record at home.
Along with 11 one-goal matches, the Gamecocks have also played four overtime contests with one victory and three draws in those contests. USC enters Friday’s match having played three consecutive overtime matches, the first time in school history.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
South Carolina has been very successful over the last six seasons when scoring two goals or more. Carolina has compiled a 41-6-1 record when tallying at least two goals in a match, including a 6-0 mark last season. USC is 7-0 this year scoring two or more goals.
SEC LEADERS
Several South Carolina individuals are among the league leaders heading into the weekend.. Sophomore forward Felicia Schroeder sits in a tie for seventh place in goals scored with seven as well as a tie for 10th place with 16 points on the year. She also owns an SEC-high five game-winning goals. Laura Armstrong’s goals against average of 0.60 is third best among SEC goalkeepers with her five individual shutouts also tied for sixth.
