Nov. 8, 2013
COLUMBIA, S.C. – For the second straight week, South Carolina ranks in the Top 10 in the NSCCA rankings, coming in at No. 9. It’s the first time in program history that the Gamecocks head into the postseason ranked in the NSCAA’s Top 10. Afer getting a measure of revenge against Georgia with a 4-0 result to advance to the semifinals of the SEC tournament. The Gamecocks will face two-seeded Texas A&M on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET at the Orange Beach Sportsplex.
GAME INFORMATION
Date/Opponent: Friday, Nov. 8 vs. No. 21 Texas A&M
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
| ESPN3
Location: Orange Beach, Ala.
Stadium: Orange Beach Sportsplex
Scouting Texas A&M
The Aggies enter the game with one of the top offenses in the SEC, scoring 49 goals and racking up 41 assists. Shea Groom leads the team in goals (12) and points (29), while Allie Bailey has chipped in eight goals, Liz Keester has seven and Kelley Monogue has six. Goalkeeper Jordan Day enters the game with a 0.97 goals against average with 62 saves and having posted five shutouts.
All-Time vs. Texas A&M
South Carolina has only faced Texas A&M three times its history, falling each time. The two sides last faced off in the 2012 SEC Tournament in the quarterfinals. The Aggies walked away with a 1-0 victory in overtime.
Opening With a Statement
After faling to Georgia 2-0 on Sept. 20, their first loss of the season, the Gamecocks made a statement in their SEC Tournament opening game against the Bulldogs with a resounding 4-0 win. It was only the second time the squad had scored four goals in a game this season. All four goals came from a different player (Danielle Au, Gabrielle Gilbert, Coryn Bajema, Daija Griffin). No other quarterfinal matchup saw more than two goals in a game.
Rolling Through the Regular Season
With a record of 15-2-2, the 2013 Gamecocks narrowly edged the 2009 squad for the best regular-season record in program history. The 2009 team ended the regular season with a record of 15-3-1 before winning the program’s first SEC Tournament championship, earning a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and finishing with a program-best 19 wins.
Winning Close
After going 4-7-4 a year ago in games decided by a goal or less, this season’s team which lost only two seniors has reversed its fortune this year. Fourteen of the Gamecocks 19 games this season have been decided by a goal or less with the team going 11-1-2.
Playing in Orange Beach
In the last four season’s, the Gamecocks are 3-3-3 in the SEC Tournament, twice reaching the final. In 2009, South Carolina won its first two game before hoisting the trophy by topping LSU in PKs. The following year, the team advanced to the final by way of shootouts in its first two matches before falling to Florida. After being upset in the quarterfinals in 2011, last year’s squad reached the quarters with a win over Arkansas.
On Wednesday, South Carolina earned its fourth SEC Tournament in the last five trips and will look to reach its third tournament final during that span with its semifinal matchup against Texas A&M.
SEC’s Elite
On Nov. 4, junior goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo was tabbed SEC Defensive Player of the Year for the second time in her career after sharing the honor in 2011. The All-SEC selection was the third of her career. Also earning SEC honors was redshirt junior defender Taylor Leach who joined D’Angelo on the First Team, while midfielder Chelsea Drennan made the All-Freshmen Team.
