Women's Soccer Unveils 2018 Schedule
June 15, 2018
2018 Schedule (Printable Version) | Season Tickets
COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina women’s soccer unveiled its 2018 schedule Friday, announcing a competitive 18-game slate that includes 11 matches at Stone Stadium this season.
The Gamecocks, who open the fall with an exhibition match at home against USF on Aug. 11, will face nine teams that posted double-digit victories in 2017. Eight of Carolina’s opponents qualified for the NCAA Tournament last year, and four of them were ranked in the final United Soccer Coaches Top-25 Poll of 2017.
South Carolina opens its 2018 campaign with three matches at Stone Stadium, where it boasted an unbeaten mark (11-0-1) last fall. The Gamecocks kick off the regular season on Aug. 17 against Fordham before hosting College of Charleston (Aug. 19) and Clemson (Aug. 23) later that month. Carolina has won each of its last two matches against the Tigers, including a 1-0 victory in last season’s top-five battle at Clemson.
The Gamecocks begin road play at NC State on Aug. 26 and close out the month at William & Mary on Thu., Aug. 30.
Carolina will round out non-conference action with three-straight home matches over the first 10 days of September. The Gamecocks welcome Purdue (Sept. 2) to Stone Stadium before playing host to Wake Forest (Sept. 6) and Coastal Carolina (Sept. 9). This fall will mark the first meeting between the Boilermakers and Carolina.
“We are looking forward to another challenging schedule in 2018,” South Carolina women’s soccer coach Shelley Smith said. “We will be challenged on the road, and we’ll have some great matchups with rival Clemson and some out of region opponents coming to our place.”
For the first time since 2015, the Gamecocks will open SEC play on the road as Carolina will travel to Knoxville, Tenn., to face the Volunteers on Sun., Sept. 16.
The Gamecocks resume their road slate six days later at Mississippi State (Sept. 20) before closing the month of September with home matches against Kentucky (Sept. 23) and Auburn (Sept. 28). Carolina has won each of its last five home games against the Tigers in a streak that dates back to 2007.
The Gamecocks’ final three SEC matches on the road will be against Georgia (Oct. 4), Vanderbilt (Oct. 12) and LSU (Oct. 21).
Two of Carolina’s last three home matches of the regular season will pit the Gamecocks against perennial NCAA Tournament participants in Florida (Oct. 7) and Texas A&M (Oct. 25). South Carolina topped the Gators 2-0 last season to punch the program’s first ticket to the Women’s College Cup.
“The SEC schedule allows us to be at home against some of the top teams in the SEC with Auburn, Texas A&M and Florida playing at Stone Stadium,” Smith said. “Our fans will have the opportunity to see some great matches this fall.”
Carolina’s other home contest in October will be versus Missouri on Thu., Oct. 18.
The 2018 SEC Championship (Oct. 31 — Nov. 4) will again be contested in Orange Beach, Ala. Carolina, the top seed at the event last season, has reached the SEC semifinals in three of the last five years.
Season tickets are on sale now, with soccer fans yet again getting the best deal ever offered. For $25 for adults and $10 for youth 17 and under, purchasers receive a season ticket to every women and men’s soccer match this season. To take advantage of the offer, call 800-472-3267 or visit GamecocksOnline.com/Tickets.
The Gamecocks captured their second-straight SEC Regular-Season Title last fall after finishing with a mark of 9-0-1 in league play. Carolina posted a record of 19-3-1 overall and earned a No. 1 NCAA Tournament seed before making its historic postseason run.
