Oct. 23, 2010
HUNTINGTON, W. Va. – The 18th-ranked South Carolina men’s soccer team suffered a 4-1 loss on the road at Marshall in Conference USA play on Saturday at Sam Hood Field. Senior defender Will Traynor scored his fifth goal of the season in the match. With the loss, South Carolina falls to 7-5-2, 2-2-1 C-USA, while Marshall improves to 8-4-4, 3-3-1 in league contests.
The Gamecocks finished the match holding a 24-8 advantage in shots. Traynor scored his fifth goal of the season in the match, which ties freshman midfielder Bradlee Baladez for the team lead in the category. Baladez led Carolina with four shots and six different Gamecocks managed one shot on goal in the match. Sophomore midfielder Devin Perkins, freshman midfielder Anthony Virgara, senior midfielder Mat Butler and junior defender Dalton Hadlock scored for Marshall, with Virgara earning the game winner.
Senior goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer earned two saves in the match, while Marshall netminder Daniel Withrow collected four saves. The Thundering Herd held a 21-14 advantage in fouls in the contest.
Marshall scored three goals in the opening 11 minutes of the contest. Perkins scored the first goal in the fourth minute on a loose ball in front of goal, and Virgara added Marshall’s second tally 30 seconds later on a breakaway for a 2-0 Thundering Herd upperhand. Butler scored Marshall’s third goal of the half in the 11th minute on a cross inside the Gamecock 18-yard box for an early 3-0 advantage.
South Carolina continued to battle through the remainder of the first half, posting seven shots, including two by Hunter Howayeck and two by Chipper Root, but was unable to find the back of the net.
South Carolina held a 15-3 advantage in shots in the second half, but was unable to capitalize until late in the match when Traynor collected South Carolina’s goal in the 86th minute, closing the score at 3-1. Marshall added its fourth goal in the 88th minute for the final 4-1 score.
South Carolina continues Conference USA play when it hosts FIU on Wednesday at Stone Stadium. Game time is set for 7 p.m. and live stats will be available via GamecocksOnline.com.
