Nov. 10, 2009

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Gamecock women’s soccer team shared AgSouth Athlete of the Week honors after claiming the first SEC Tournament title in school history.

South Carolina won the championship with a dramatic 8-7 edge in penalty kicks over LSU at the Orange Beach Sportsplex. The title was the first won by a South Carolina team since the women’s track & field team won the 2005 outdoor championships.

Tournament MVP Blakely Mattern scored the tying goal with two minutes remaining, and the Gamecocks held on for the first penalty kick shootout game in an SEC final since the 2003 season.

South Carolina avenged all three of its regular-season losses in the tournament by defeating Georgia, Florida and LSU en route to the title.