Oct. 28, 2007
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Freshman Brooke Jacobs scored her first career goal to lead the No. 25 South Carolina women’s soccer team to a 1-0 shutout victory against Arkansas Sunday on Senior Day at Stone Stadium. The Gamecocks (13-4-2, 5-3-2 SEC) extend their unbeaten streak to six games and improve their school-record and SEC-leading shutout total to 11 matches.
“It was a great effort,” head coach Shelley Smith said. “I’m proud of our team to get a win on the last home game on Senior Day. Our team put us in good position to get to Orange Beach for the SEC Tournament. We’ve worked toward that goal all year and today was a great result.”
Senior Laura Armstrong recorded the win in goal for the Gamecocks to improve to 6-1-1 on the season with six shutouts. She has 14 shutouts for her career and is one away from tying the career record (15) and the single-season record (7), both held by former Gamecock Elise Matthews.
“Our seniors have been outstanding,” Smith said. “They’ve really come together as a team and have learned a lot the last four years. It’s a great group of girls and we’re glad to get them a win.”
As Carolina honored its eight seniors in the regular season home finale, it was the freshmen that helped them end their home career with a victory as Brittiny Rhoades found Jacobs for the lone score at 64:08. Jacobs fielded the ball from 20 yards out and sailed a shot into the left corner of the net for the game winner.
“It was a perfect ball by Brittiny,” Jacobs said. “Scoring the goal was a great feeling and I’m glad I could help the seniors get a win in their last game at home.”
The Gamecocks stifled Arkansas’s (8-10-1, 1-8-1 SEC) attack all day, limiting the Lady’Backs to two shots – one in each half. Carolina recorded 14 shots on the day with 10 hitting the mark. The Gamecocks also held a 4-0 advantage in corner kicks and recorded 12 fouls to five for Arkansas. Armstrong registered one save and Arkansas freshman goalkeeper Britni Williams picked up nine.
“With the amount of shots we had, we wished for another goal to help us breathe a little easier towards the end,” Smith said. “Brooke played great today. She had good minutes and played extremely hard in the field. When she came off the field she was exhausted which just showed us that she put forth full effort out there.”
South Carolina finishes the regular season when they travel to Gainesville for a Friday night match against the No. 23 Florida Gators. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on November 2 as the Gamecocks and their seniors hope to solidify their spot in the SEC Tournament, held Nov. 7-11 in Orange Beach, Ala. Following Sunday’s action, Carolina is in fourth place in the SEC standings with 17 points.
