Sept. 11, 2007
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Scoring his first career goal in the 92nd minute, junior midfielder Kevan Hawkins gave Carolina the game-winning tally, as the Gamecock men’s soccer team defeated Wofford, 2-1, in overtime on Tuesday night at Stone Stadium. With the win, Carolina improves its record to 3-2 overall, while the Terriers fall to 2-1-1 for the year with the loss.
“I was proud of the way our team battled back to win the game tonight,” Carolina head coach Mark Berson commented. “Each time we take the field we see growth and progress, and that’s what we will continue working on tomorrow when we hit the practice fields and prepare to host the adidas Gamecock Classic.”
Hawkins led the Gamecock offense with four shots, including three on goal. Freshman forwards Blake Brettschneider and Sam Arthur contributed four and three shots, respectively, while Arthur also netted his third goal of the season to even the score at 1-1 in the closing minutes of regulation. Sophomore forward Schuyler Reardon’s assist on the game winner was his first of the season and third of his career.
Freshman keeper Jimmy Maurer tallied two saves, contributing a solid effort in goal for the Gamecocks. Counterpart Joey Taylor of Wofford allowed two goals, while adding five saves in the loss. Freshman Kentrel Owens scored the lone Terrier goal in the contest, an unassisted tally in the 73rd minute.
Both teams lacked rhythm in the opening 45 minutes of play. Carolina attacked early and often in the second half, but failed to capitalize on early offensive opportunities.
The back and forth battle continued, until the 73rd minute of the match, when Owens broke free of the Gamecock defense and placed a shot under the diving arms of Maurer into the lower right corner of the goal for a 1-0 Terrier advantage.
Carolina answered with a sense of urgency, holding a constant attack on the Wofford defensive third of the field. The Gamecocks finally capitalized on a goal-scoring opportunity in the 85th minute, when Arthur sent a header over the Terrier goalkeeper off a crossbar-deflection. Credit the deflection to a Tyler Ruthven shot off a David Smith corner kick.
Neither team found the back of the net through the final five minutes of regulation, forcing the first of two sudden-death overtime periods. Carolina threatened with two shots in the first twenty seconds of the opening overtime session, and Hawkins and Reardon connected just one minute later for the game winner and deciding 2-1 Gamecock advantage.
Carolina hosts the annual adidas Gamecock Classic this weekend, Sept. 14-16, at Stone Stadium. Joining the Gamecocks will be Lipscomb, Longwood and Presbyterian College. USC kicks off tournament play against Longwood on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Lipscomb and PC will play the first game of the weekend event on Friday at 5 p.m.
