Aug. 26, 2014

COLUMBIA, S.C. – After posting a pair of shutout victories start to the 2014 season, South Carolina women’s soccer moved up in various polls. Senior defender Taylor Leach was also named to TopDrawerSoccer.com’s National Team of the Week for her stellar performance on both ends of the field to open the year.

In the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) national rankings, the Gamecocks jumped from No. 14 to No. 12, TopDrawerSoccer.com moved South Carolina up one spot to No. 8 in their first regular season ranking, and after listing South Carolina at No. 25 in the preseason, Soccer America moved the Gamecocks up to No. 20 in their Week 1 rankings.

TopDrawerSoccer.com named Leach to their Team of the Week after the center back provided the offense in the season opener at East Carolina, scoring a pair of set-piece goals in the 2-0 win. The senior also helped captain the Gamecocks’ defense to back-to-back shutouts to start the season for the second-straight year. The unit allowed just three shots over the course of the opening weekend, the fewest in the league, and is one of three SEC teams that has yet to allow a point.

The Gamecocks defeated East Carolina 2-0 on the road and returned to Stone Stadium to down Samford 2-0 last week. The win at The Graveyard extended the home winning streak to 12, the longest in program history.

South Carolina hosts the Garnet & Black Classic this weekend, welcoming No. 22 Boston University, Milwaukee and College of Charleston to Stone Stadium. On Friday, College of Charleston faces Milwaukee at 4 p.m. with the Gamecocks and Boston University taking the field at approximately 6:30 p.m. On Sunday, the event continues with College of Charleston and Boston University at 12 p.m. followed by South Carolina and Milwaukee at approximately 2:30 p.m.