Oct. 9, 2014
South Carolina (9-3-1, 2-2-1 SEC) travels to Lexington to face Kentucky (7-5-1, 2-3-0 SEC) on Friday. The week’s lone contest is set to take place at the Bell Soccer Complex with the broadcast set for the SEC Network+ at 7:30 p.m.
WEEKEND INFORMATION
Date/Opponent: Fri., Oct. 10, at Kentucky
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
Stadium: Bell Soccer Complex
SCOUTING KENTUCKY
Kentucky (7-5-0, 2-3-0 SEC) went on a five-game winning streak earlier this season before dropping a pair of overtime matches to then-No. 12 Pepperdine (2-3) and at Arkansas (1-2) in its SEC opener. After winning their next two SEC contests vs. Mississippi State and Auburn, the Wildcats could not register a win on last weekend’s road trip, posting 1-2 losses at Missouri and No. 9 Texas A&M. Kentucky is 5-1 at home this season, with its lone loss coming to a ranked Pepperdine. In their last 28 home matches, the Wildcats are 22-4-2.
The 2014 Honda Inspiration Award recipient, Arin Gilliland leads the Wildcats with 20 points on six goals and eight assists. She takes the majority of the team’s shots as well, firing 61 and putting half of them (32) on frame. A two-time All-American, Gilliland was a MAC Hermann Award finalist last season and is a member of the U.S. National Team U-23 roster.
Jade Kump has also posted a team-leading six goals while Michaela Dooley has recorded a team-high seven assists to go with three goals. In net, Taylor Braun has started eight of the Wildcats’ 12 matches this season, splitting time with Ayanna Parker. The team has posted five clean sheets this season.
STATE OF DEFENSE
For the second-straight season, the Gamecocks moved through non-conference play allowing just one goal (vs. Clemson, Sept. 5). South Carolina allowed a goal in each of its first four SEC matches, before posting its first league shutout against LSU (1-0) on Oct. 5. The Gamecocks boast a 0.371 goals against average (6th nationally) and is one of just 10 schools in the country to allow five goals or less this season. The Gamecocks have earned eight shutouts in their 13 matches this season. No other SEC team has allowed less than seven goals.
RPI REPORT
In Monday’s NCAA’s Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) report, the Gamecocks checked in at No. 13 for the second week in a row after posting a program-high No. 5 in the season’s initial report. The RPI is one of the tools used by the selection committee to determine the 64-team field for the NCAA Tournament, ranking teams based on wins and losses as well as strength of schedule.
STABILITY AND DEPTH
The Gamecocks have seen little change this season, employing the same starting lineup for the first 11 matches of the season. In the match vs. Alabama (Oct. 3), South Carolina made a change at one of the forward spots, moving junior Coryn Bajema, who missed the first four matches due to injury, into the lineup in sophomore Sophie Groff’s place. Seven other players have logged minutes in each contest with a total of 24 Gamecocks logging minutes this season. The long bench has allowed South Carolina to combat the challenges of the Friday-Sunday weekends, especially in the attack and at outside back.
LOOKING FOR OFFENSE
South Carolina found the back of the net for the first time in over 200 minutes on a header from Savannah McCaskill in the 24th minute at Alabama (Oct. 3). It was the first time the Gamecocks had scored since Stevi Parker notched the game-winner in the 100th minute at Auburn on Sun., Sept. 21. The following match, a Sunday afternoon contest vs. LSU on Oct. 5, the Gamecocks broke a nearly 300-minute scoring drought at The Graveyard. South Carolina had not scored at home since the first half of a 2-0 win over High Point on Sun., Sept. 7. Daija Griffin stopped the dry spell in the 75th minute with the game-winner. The Gamecocks have been shutout in all three of their losses, posting 0-1 results to Clemson, Missouri and No. 22 Georgia. South Carolina outscored its opponents 15-1 in the non-conference slate.
UP NEXT FOR THE GAMECOCKS
South Carolina returns to Columbia for a match vs. No. 5 Florida on Thurs., Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. The SEC Network is set to broadcast the league tilt nationally. The Gamecocks follow the marquee matchup with a contest against Ole Miss at Stone Stadium on Sunday at 1 p.m.
