Sept. 29, 2011
The South Carolina men’s and women’s soccer teams will host a conference doubleheader at Stone Stadium on Friday night, with the women hosting SEC opponent Kentucky at 6 p.m., before the men’s team hosts Conference USA opponent Tulsa at 8:30 p.m.
GAME INFORMATION
South Carolina (3-4-1, 1-0-0 C-USA) vs. Tulsa (4-4-0, 0-0-0 C-USA)
Date: Friday, September 30, 2011
Kick Off: 8:30 p.m. ET
Location: Columbia, S.C.
Stadium: Stone Stadium
Series: Series is tied at 4-4-2
Live Stats: GamecocksOnline.com
Free Live Video: GamecocksOnline.com
Game Updates: South Carolina men’s soccer Facebook and Twitter (@GamecockMSoccer)
Carolina Quick Hits
– South Carolina is in its 34th season of varsity soccer in 2011.
– The Gamecocks are led by head coach Mark Berson in his 34th season at the helm of the program. He is assisted by Bert Molinary in his eighth season and Mike Babst in his fifth.
– Berson, in his 35th season overall coaching (spent one season as the head coach at The Citadel), entered the 2011 season ranked as the winningest active coach in Division I men’s soccer with 441 career wins.
– Friday’s match for Carolina is just its second in the last 12 days, as its Sept. 23, match vs. Wake Forest was cancelled due to inclement weather.
– Carolina has won two-straight matches entering Friday’s contest vs. Tulsa (wins vs. High Point, at Memphis).
– Three C-USA teams have yet to play a conference contest, however, South Carolina, Marshall and UCF currently sit atop the leader board with three points each.
– South Carolina opened Conference USA play with a thrilling 3-2 comeback win at Memphis last Saturday. The Gamecocks scored three goals in a 14-minute span for the victory.
– Sophomore forward Bradlee Baladez, freshman midfielder Braeden Troyer and sophomore midfielder Chipper Root scored for Carolina vs. Memphis, with Root collecting the first game winner of his career.
– South Carolina is led offensively by senior midfielder Stephen Morrissey and freshman midfielder Braeden Troyer with three goals on the year. Defenders Trevor Hubbard and Mike Mangotic pace the sqaud with two assists each.
– Friday’s match vs. Tulsa is South Carolina’s first vs. the Golden Hurricane since earning a 1-0 win in overtime to collect last season’s Conference USA Tournament title.
– Twice this season South Carolina has come back from a deficit at halftime to win the contest (vs. High Point, Memphis).
Scouting Tulsa
– The Golden Hurricane enters Friday’s match with a 4-4-0 overall record on the year, having most recently suffered a 3-0 loss to fourth-ranked Akron last Saturday. Friday will serve as Tulsa’s C-USA opener for 2011. Sophomore midfielder Omar Mata is leading the way for the team with three goals and three assists for nine points on the season. Freshman midfielder Stephen Roberson has two goals and an assist, while senior defender Blaine Gonsalves has two goals as well. Goalkeeper Michael Murray has played the majority of time in net for the team. He enters the match against the Gamecocks with a 1.24 goals against average and 20 saves on the year. Senior defender Justin Chaves was named the C-USA Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, while he was also named to the Hermann Trophy Watch List, and was a College Soccer News and Soccer America Preseason All-American.
Series History
– The series between South Carolina and Tulsa is tied at 4-4-2, however, the Gamecocks have won two-straight entering Friday’s match. South Carolina earned a 1-0 upset win at then-No. 5 Tulsa during the 2010 regular season, before collecting a 1-0 overtime win over the Golden Hurricane in the Conference USA Tournament final. The series is also tied at 1-1-1 in games played at Stone Stadium. The 2009 contest between the two schools in Columbia eneded in a 1-1 double overtime tie.
Last Year vs. Tulsa
– Then-senior defender Will Traynor’s goal in the 68th minute gave South Carolina a 1-0 win over then-No. 5 Tulsa in the 2010 regular season. But the most thrilling match of the season came just over one month later when the Gamecocks earned a 1-0 overtime win over Tulsa to capture the 2010 Conference USA Tournament title. Then-junior midfielder Stephen Morrissey scored the game winner for Carolina on a penalty kick in the 107th minute, while senior goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer collected his eighth shutout of the season in the win. The win over Tulsa gave the Gamecocks an automatic bid to the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
Up Next For South Carolina
– South Carolina will play at UAB next Tuesday and at UCF next Saturday, continuing 2011 C-USA action. Carolina’s next home match will be on Oct. 12 when the Gamecocks host C-USA preseason favorite SMU at 7 p.m.
