Nov. 2, 2012
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina men’s soccer team travels to Kentucky on Sunday for a televised match versus the Wildcats. Game time is set for 1 p.m. ET at the UK Soccer Complex in Lexington. Below are match details and game notes.
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012
Kickoff: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Lexington, Ky.
Stadium: UK Soccer Complex
Series: Series tied, 4-4-2
Television: SportSouth, Dave Baker (pxp), J.D. Stephenson (analyst)
South Carolina Men’s Soccer On Twitter: @GamecockMSoccer
South Carolina Men’s Soccer On Facebook: Facebook.com/GamecockMSoccer
Carolina Quick Hits
– South Carolina is in its 35th season of varsity soccer in 2012.
– South Carolina head coach Mark Berson is in his 36th season overall and his 35th season as head coach of the Gamecocks. He is assisted by former players Spencer Lewis and Joey Worthen, both in their first season. Another former player for the Gamecocks, Clark Brisson, is the volunteer assistant coach.
– South Carolina concludes the regular season at Kentucky on Sunday, in a televised match on Fox Sports South in the Southeast.
– The all-time series between the Gamecocks and Wildcats is tied at 4-4-2, but UK holds a 1-3-0 mark in games played in Lexington. South Carolina’s road win in the series came in a 2-0 decision on Oct. 11, 1992. UK has won three of the last four overall meetings between the two schools.
– The Gamecocks have not played since last Saturday, when they suffered a 3-1 setback at No. 13 Wake Forest. Senior defender Mike Mangotic scored his first goal of the season in that contest.
– Junior striker Bradlee Baladez and sophomore midfielder Braeden Troyer lead the Gamecocks with three goals this season, while Baladez also has three assists for a team high nine points.
– 12 different Gamecocks have tallied goals this season, and 13 individuals have collected an assist.
– Troyer’s three goals in league play paces the team. Freshman midfielder Jeffrey Torda and Baladez lead the team with 19 shots each in C-USA action.
– Junior netminder Alex Long has played the majority of time in net for the Gamecocks this season, but he continues to be hampered by an ankle injury suffered in the Oct. 17 Wofford contest. Look for redshirt-freshman Robert Beebe to start in goal for Carolina at Kentucky.
– Two freshmen look to make starts in the midfield at Kentucky with Ryan Arambula at the central midfield position and Devin L’Amoreaux at wing.
– Also hampered by injury is sophomore midfielder Stephen Anderson and freshman defender Dan Traxler, with both suffering from ankle injuries.
– Did you know? Gamecock head coach Mark Berson has led the Gamecocks to 20 NCAA Tournament appearances, including trips during the 2010 and 2011 campaigns.
– Berson ranks first among active coaches with 20 NCAA Tournament Appearances. He is the reigning Conference USA Coach of the Year.
– Former South Carolina goalkeeper Warren Lipka was honored with selection to the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame for the 2012 class. Lipka was inducted on Thursday, Sept. 13, in a ceremony at Williams-Brice Stadium.
– South Carolina is the reigning Conference USA Co-Regular Season champions, as both the Gamecocks and UAB finished the 2011 league campaign with a 6-1-1 record.
Scouting Kentucky
Kentucky enters Sunday’s match with a 9-7-1 overall record. After losing the first three out of four games, UK has posted an 8-3-1 mark during its last 12 games, including a stellar 4-2-1 record in Conference USA games. Tyler Riggs and Matt Lodge pace the squad with seven goals each, while Riggs leads the way with 18 points after also collecting four assists. Charles Pettys has six goals and Jacob Kemper is the team leader with five assists. UK has scored 31 goals this season, an average of 1.82 per game. In net, Jack Van Arsdale owns an 8-5-1 record and a 1.15 goals against average. He has 43 saves and four shutouts this season. The Wildcats are led by first-year head coach Johan Cedergren. The team has quality victories this season against then-No. 18 Louisville, No 25 UAB and No. 23 Tulsa.
Last Time vs. Kentucky
South Carolina and Kentucky battled through 110 minutes of soccer but the contest ended in a 2-2 tie during the regular season finale for both schools last season. The contest, at Stone Stadium, secured a share of the Conference USA Regular Season title for Carolina. Then-junior Mike Mangotic scored both Carolina goals in the match. Kentucky held a 1-0 lead at the half, but Mangotic tallied his first goal on an assist from goalkeeper Alex Long in the 48th minute, before each squad posted a goal late in the match to send the contest into sudden death OT. UK posted five shots combined in the overtime sessions, and the Gamecocks three, but the match ended in a 2-2 tie.
