Sept. 19, 2015
COLUMBIA, S.C. ââ’¬” The South Carolina women’s soccer team hits the road to continue conference action at Missouri on Sunday. Kickoff against the Tigers is set for 3 p.m. ET from Audrey J. Walton Soccer Stadium in Columbia, Mo. The match will be televised on ESPNU.
WEEKEND INFORMATION
Date/Opponent: Sun., Sept. 20 at. Missouri
Kickoff: 3 p.m. ET
Location: Columbia, Mo.
Stadium: Audrey J. Walton Soccer Stadium
TV: ESPNU
FREE Live Stats
LEADING THE NATION
Through five games at Stone Stadium, the Gamecocks are leading the nation in home attendance with 19,474 total fans and an average of 3,895.
IN THE RANKINGS
The Gamecocks are No. 16 in this week’s NSCAA rankings and No. 15 in the TopDrawerSoccer.com poll.
BY THE NUMBERS
South Carolina holds a 143-49 shot advantage over opponents through eight games. The Gamecocks have put 73 of 143 shots on target, compared to opponents getting just 19 shots on goal. South Carolina averages 17.9 shots per game and is outscoring opponents 25-8.
Fourteen different Gamecocks have scored this season. Forwards Savannah McCaskill and Sophie Groff account for almost half (12) of South Carolina’s 25 goals.
South Carolina’s 25 goals and 74 points lead the SEC. The Gamecocks also rank first in the conference goals per game (3.12) and second in both assists (24) and assists per game (3.00). The Gamecocks’ 143 shots are the fourth most in the league. In SEC contests, South Carolina’s three goals and nine points are tied for second.
CLEAN SHEET
The Gamecock defense turned in its best performance of the season in a 2-0 victory over Colgate, allowing zero shot attempts. South Carolina also recorded a shutout against Kennesaw State and held the Owls to just two shot attempts.
SCOUTING MISSOURI
The Tigers are 3-2-3 overall and 1-0-0 in the SEC after winning its conference opener against then No. 9 Auburn 2-1 and falling 0-1 to Nebraska last week. Sophomore midfielder Savannah Trujillo has scored two of Missouri’s eight goals this season.
Missouri leads the all-time series 1-3-0. The Gamecocks won the last meeting between the two squads with a 2-1 victory in the SEC Tournament.
175
The Gamecocks’ 3-1 victory over Georgia on Sept. 11 was Head Coach Shelley Smith 175th win at South Carolina.
MCCASKILL IN THE LEAD
Savannah McCaskill leads South Carolina in goals (7), points (17), shots (22), and shots on goal (14). The sophomore has also tallied three assists. She ranks second in the SEC in points, tied for second in goals and tied for eighth in assists.
ASSISTED BY DRENNAN
Junior midfielder Chelsea Drennan has recorded a team-high five assists. She now has 24 throughout her career, which ties for second all-time in school history and is only nine shy of the school record (33). Drennan’s five assists are tied for second most the SEC.
TWO FOR GROFF
Junior forward Sophie Groff scored a pair of goals in two games this season (Coastal Carolina and Kennesaw State), including a game-winner in both contests.
IT’S A FIRST
Sophomores Anna Conklin and Dominique Babbitt, junior Kaleigh Kurtz and freshmen Courtney Kaplan and Carrie Lawerence have all scored their first career goal this season.
THE FAST LANE
Sophomore midfielder Lindsey Lane netted the game winner in the Gamecocks’ double overtime victory over Oklahoma. Three of Lane’s four career goals have been game- winners.
GRAY FOR THE WIN
Senior defender Caroline Gray scored the game-winner in South Carolina’s season opener against Northeastern; the goal was the first of her career.
ROOM FOR TWO
Senior Caroline Kelly and sophomore Abbey Crider have split time in the net this season. Kelly is 4-1-0 with six saves while Crider is 1-0-0 on the year with five saves.
COMEBACK KIDS
Senior Carly Ray and junior Paige Bendell made their return to the back line in South Carolina’s match with Colgate after missing time with injuries. The duo played key roles in the Gamecocks’ defense that held the Raiders to zero shot attempts. Both Ray and Bendell were credited with an assist in the 2-0 win, including the game-winning assist to Bendell.
UP NEXT
South Carolina’s SEC home opener is set for Thurs. Sept. 24 as Texas A&M comes to Stone Stadium. The match is slated to begin at 7 p.m. and will be televised on the SEC Network.
