April 5, 2008
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina women’s soccer team took a 4-3 win Saturday against North Carolina State in 8v8 action at the USC Fieldhouse. Originally scheduled for a 3 p.m. start at Stone Stadium, inclement weather forced the game to move indoors with the smaller field causing the teams to play eight per side.
The Gamecocks concluded the spring undefeated, posting a 4-0 record with wins against Georgia Southern, College of Charleston, Davidson and NC State. Carolina recorded shutouts in all three full squad games, with the lone goals against the Gamecocks coming in Saturday’s 8v8 action.
With only nine available position players returning next year and two freshman goalkeepers, the Gamecocks wasted no time hitting the board early. Freshman Brooke Jacobs scored in the sixth minute of play courtesy of assists by Shannon Bigbie and Brittiny Rhoades. Courtney Cobbs put Carolina ahead 2-0 with a free kick that sailed into the back of the net from 25 yards out in the 27th minute.
North Carolina State hit the board in the second of four 25-minute periods with a strike in the 39th minute of play. However, Kim Miller increased the Carolina cushion with a booming strike in the 57th minute to give Carolina a 3-1 lead.
Freshman Alison Bagley recorded an assist to Cobbs in the 69th minute to put Carolina ahead 4-1 in the third period. Cobbs ended the day with two goals despite only playing limited minutes while helping the Gamecocks’ depth due to the limited number of available players. The Wolfpack scored the final two goals of the match in the fourth period, the final coming in the 97th minute that moved the score to the 4-3 final.
Sophomore defender Blakely Mattern was the lone returning Gamecock to not compete Saturday. Mattern left early Saturday morning to participate in the U.S. U-20 National Team camp in Carson, Calif. That camp will be held April 6-13 at the Home Depot Center as the national team prepares to select its player pool for the FIFA U-20 World Cup to be held in Chile in November.
South Carolina will next host an Alumni Game on Saturday, April 19 at Stone Stadium. Check back at www.GamecocksOnline.com for times and additional information.
