No. 3 Gamecocks Host Georgia In Search Of Second-Straight SEC Title
Oct. 21, 2017
#3 Women’s Soccer vs. Georgia
COLUMBIA, S.C. — No. 3 South Carolina women’s soccer (14-1-0, 8-0-0 SEC) plays host to Georgia (4-11-1, 0-8-0 SEC) in its regular-season home finale on Sun., Oct. 22. Kickoff from Stone Stadium is set for 6 p.m. ET, and the match can be seen on SEC Network+. With a win over the Bulldogs, the Gamecocks will clinch at least a share of the SEC Regular-Season Title for the second-straight year. Sunday will be Carolina’s Senior Night, as seven student-athletes will be honored prior to the contest.
FROM THE COACH
“We are hoping our fans can make it out tomorrow night as we honor this special class of seniors. They have helped lead the program to some of its greatest achievements, and they’ve been such great representatives for South Carolina on and off the field. The team and the seniors know how important every point in SEC play is, and we still have control over our ability to win another championship. We are looking forward to having the chance to clinch at least a share of the title at home.” – South Carolina women’s soccer coach Shelley Smith
SCOUTING GEORGIA
The Bulldogs enter Sunday’s match in search of their first win in SEC play. Georgia sports a mark of 2-5-1 on the road this season, and this weekend will be its first match against a ranked opponent since it fell to No. 19 Tennessee 4-0 on Oct. 13.
Senior forward Kelsey Killean leads the Bulldogs with nine points on four goals and an assist, while freshman attacker Reagan Glisson ranks second on the team in points (8) and first in assists (4). Fourth-year goalkeeper Louise Hogrell boasts 72 saves on the year after starting 14 of Georgia’s 16 games in 2017. The Bulldogs pace the SEC with 80 saves as a team, and their 20 goals are tied for 13th in the conference.
Carolina has won three of its last four games against the Bulldogs in a stretch that dates back to 2013. The Gamecocks are 4-4-3 in home games between the two, and Georgia leads the overall series with a mark of 15-8-3.
LAST TIME OUT
South Carolina remained perfect in SEC play after posting a 2-0 victory over Missouri Thursday (Oct. 19) at Walton Soccer Stadium. Sophomore defender Grace Fisk and senior attacker Savannah McCaskill netted first-half goals for the Gamecocks, who remained atop the SEC standings with two matches to play and pushed its winning streak to 12 games.
Both tallies came off corner kicks, as Fisk and McCaskill converted on headers from inside the box. Gamecock midfielder Lindsey Lane’s corner located Fisk in the 15th minute, and the center back used her head to send a well-hit shot that hit off a Mizzou defender before finding the back of the net.
McCaskill stretched the lead to 2-0 less than 20 minutes later after the Gamecocks were awarded a corner from the right side. Carolina freshman midfielder Lauren Chang set up the scoring play after sending in a well-placed pass that connected with McCaskill in the heart of the box.
Carolina sported a 13-7 shot advantage and held the Tigers to one attempt on goal. Zullo and McCaskill both put two shots on frame for a Gamecock squad that attempted seven of the match’s 12 corner kicks.
WE’RE NUMBER ONE
Carolina remained atop the Women’s Soccer RPI rankings this week, the NCAA announced Monday. The Gamecocks earned the program’s highest spot in the rankings after debuting at No. 1 on Sept. 18. South Carolina spent eight weeks ranked inside the RPI top-five last season, earning a top-three listing four times throughout the stretch.
North Carolina (2), Stanford (3), Duke (4) and UCF (5) rounded out the top-five in Monday’s ranking. The Gamecocks, who moved past the Knights 2-0 in their season opener on Aug. 18, boast five wins against teams currently ranked inside the top-25 of the RPI.
STAYING POWER
South Carolina stayed at No. 3 in Tuesday’s United Soccer Coaches Poll. The Gamecocks, who have spent seven weeks inside the top-five this season, have been positioned in the top-15 in each of the last 21 installments of the poll dating back to last year. South Carolina has earned a top-10 ranking 17 times over that stretch. The Gamecocks entered the fall with the program’s highest preseason spot after being listed at No. 4 in August.
SENIOR SUPERLATIVES
This year’s senior class has enjoyed one of the best four-year stretches in school history. The Gamecocks have qualified for the NCAA Tournament in each of the last three seasons, reaching the Elite Eight twice during that time. Carolina’s 61 wins since 2014 are the second-most in a four-year period in program history, and the senior class has collected 14 victories over ranked opponents during its time in Columbia.
A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
Carolina became the second school in SEC soccer history to notch 20-straight victories in league play with its win over the Tigers Thursday. The Gamecocks, whose winning streak dates back to 2015, have registered a shutout in 16 of the 20 victories. Carolina has outscored opponents 41-4 over the stretch and notched 11 wins by at least two goals.
REGULAR SEASON WARRIORS
Carolina boasts a mark of 31-1-1 over its last 33 regular-season matches in a stretch that dates back to the start of the 2016 season. The Gamecocks have tallied victories over seven ranked opponents during that time, and 16 of their wins have come by at least two goals. Carolina, which has gone on a double-digit winning streak in each of the last two seasons, has outscored its foes 68-14 over the stretch.
GETTING DEFENSIVE
South Carolina has allowed a conference-best two goals in SEC play this season. The Gamecocks have notched clean sheets in 10 of their last 12 matches, allowing just three goals over that stretch. Carolina, which has conceded more than one goal just twice in 2017, ranks first in the league with a 0.46 goals against average for the season. The Gamecocks have yet to allow more than three shots on target in league play in 2017.
FRESHMEN FIREPOWER
Carolina’s freshman class has made an instant impact on the Gamecock attack, accounting for 12 of the team’s 28 goals in 2017. A freshman has notched the game-winner in five of South Carolina’s last 12 victories, and six first-year players have recorded a point this fall. Forward Luciana Zullo, who has registered a point in three of the last four games, ranks third on the team in game-winners (2), goals (4) and points (11). Midfielder Breukelen Woodard is one of three Gamecocks with multiple assists on the year, while fellow freshman Bianca Galassini is fourth on the team with three tallies. Newcomers Ryan Gareis and Lauren Chang also boast multiple goals in 2017.
COMING UP CLUTCH
With her goal in the sixth minute against Vanderbilt on Oct. 15, Gamecock attacker Savannah McCaskill moved into a tie with Jennie Ondo (1996-99) for the most game-winners (16) in program history. The senior standout, who set a single-year school record with 10 game-winning tallies in 2016, is tied for first in the SEC with three game-winners in league play this season.
LOOKING TO PASS
Gamecock senior striker Savannah McCaskill has served as the primary catalyst to the Carolina attack this season, logging a team-high eight assists. Her assist total ranks ninth in NCAA Division I and first in the SEC, and four of her helpers in 2017 have set up a game-winning tally. McCaskill’s 33 career assists are seven shy of the all-time program record.
UP NEXT
South Carolina closes out its regular season next week when it faces No. 20 Florida on the road on Thu., Oct. 26. Kickoff against the Gators is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, and the match will air on SEC Network.
