Gamecocks Geared Up for NCAA Tournament Second Round
#5 Women’s Soccer vs. Notre Dame
COLUMBIA, S.C. – No. 5 South Carolina women’s soccer (17-1-3, 7-0-3 SEC) takes on Notre Dame (11-7-2, 4-4-2 ACC) in the 2019 NCAA Tournament Second Round. The match is set for Nov. 22, at 6 p.m. at Stone Stadium on SEC Network +.
LAST TIME OUT – CAROLINA HANDLES SAMFORD IN NCAA OPENER
No. 5 South Carolina (17-1-3, 7-0-3 SEC) defeated Samford (10-4-5, 7-1-1 SoCon) 3-0 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Nov. 16. Samantha Chang, Luciana Zullo and Riley Tanner all contributed goals helping Carolina advance to the second round for the fourth straight year.
“We’re pleased to be here on the winning side of things,” South Carolina head coach Shelley Smith said. “It was a great match. Of course, in NCAAs someone can’t move on but all the respect in the world for Coach Yelton and his staff and his team and wish them the best. We’re obviously very pleased to be moving on. Very happy with the performance overall by our team and we’re excited to be at home again this coming weekend.”
Samantha Chang’s goal is the first gamewinner of her career and her second this season. The SEC All-Freshman performer was assisted by Tanner in the 40th minute. The goal was setup by Tanner who used nifty footwork before slotting a pass to Samantha Chang who finished it with a blast from point blank range.
CAROLINA IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
The Gamecocks hold a 15-11-3 mark all-time at the NCAA Tournament. South Carolina has advanced to the second round nine times, and for four straight years. Carolina has reached the third round four times in program history and has reached the Elite 8 three times. The Gamecocks’ lone College Cup appearance was back in 2017.
SCOUTING NOTRE DAME
The Irish (11-7-2, 4-4-2 ACC) took out Saint Louis in the opening round on the NCAA Tournament. Freshman Kiki Van Zanten netted the gamewinner for the Irish helping Notre Dame to move to 49-3-1 all-time at home in the NCAA Tournament. The meeting between the two is the second this season, the Gamecocks won the first back on Sept. 12 2-1 at Stone Stadium. The Irish’s lone goal came from Alexis Martel-LaMothe, her only goal of the season. Over the course of the season junior midfielder Sammi Fisher has led the team with six goals and five assists for a total of 17 points. In goal Mattie Interian has been the primary goalkeeper. The sophomore was in goal for all 90 minutes against Carolina in September and made one save. This season she has allowed six goals in seven matches and made the start in their NCAA Tournament opener. Brooke Littman has also made appearances this seaosn, most recently making the start against North Carolina during the ACC Tournament, playing 90 minutes and making four saves while allowing three goals. The meeting is the third all-time between the Gamecocks and Irish, with Carolina leading the series 2-0-0.
THERE’S A FIRST FOR EVERYTHING
In the 3-0 win over Samford, redshirt-freshman Samantha Chang notched her first career gamewinner. The SEC All-Freshman finished off the goal in the 40th minute when Riley Tanner slotted her a ball to the middle of the box. For Tanner, her goal in the 80th minute was her first NCAA Tournament goal and marks the fourth-straight year a Gamecock has put up a multi-point performance (not including one goal).
MIK – THE RULER OF THE RECORD BOOK
Since taking over the role as the starting goalkeeper in 2016 Mikayla Krzeczowski has not missed a match for the Gamecocks. The stretch has reached 86-straight matches over her four seasons without missing a match. During that span, Krzeczowski has picked up 48 clean sheets, the third most in NCAA women’s soccer history, and holds the current goals against average record for a career at Carolina at 0.45. Her current goals agaisnt average of 0.45 is the ninth best in NCAA women’s soccer history. Krzeczowski’s 14 clean sheets this season is second in the NCAA, just one behind Monmouth’s Amanda Knaub and is just one away from tying the program record for clean sheets in a season (Mollie Patton, 2009).
WEEKLY GREATNESS
Coming in at No. 5 in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll, South Carolina has now been in the top 25 for 49-straight weeks dating back to 2016. The streak is the longest since the program began keeping track in 2007. The No. 5 ranking is the highest ranking since the 2017 final poll/2018 preseason poll where the Gamecocks were No. 5.
SEEDED ONCE MORE
Entering the 2019 NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed, South Carolina is one of two SEC squads to earn a national seed. The seed for South Carolina is its fourth in as many seasons, including No. 1 seeds two of the past four seasons. This season will mark the 13th appearance in the NCAA Tournament for the Gamecocks, who have reached the event in 12 of the last 13 years. The seventh-straight bid is the longest streak in program history. Carolina has hosted a first-round match in seven of the last eight years, advancing out of those games seven times.
AN OFFENSIVE MINDSET
For the third time in five seasons South Carolina has scored 40 goals, with four different Gamecocks scoring at least five goals. Senior forward Elexa Bahr’s 20 points this season marks just the third player not named Savanahh McCaskill to have 20 points in a season since 2013. South Carolina led the SEC with 15 different goal scorers this season, including five first-time goal scorers.
UP NEXT
The winner of the South Carolina-Notre Dame match will face the winner of the Xavier-Kansas match that will take place prior to the Gamecocks’ match on Friday. That match will take place on Nov. 24, at 2 p.m. on SEC Network + at Stone Stadium.
QUICK NOTES
– Mikayla Krzeczowski’s 48 career shutouts gives her the 3rd most in NCAA Division I history and her 0.45 goals against average is the ninth best mark in NCAA Division I history
– Elexa Bahr’s 20 points this season marks just the third player not named Savanahh McCaskill to have 20 points in a season since 2013
– Riley Tanner’s multi-point performance in the NCAA Tournament opener is the fourth-straight year a Gamecock has had a multi-point performance in the NCAA Tournament
– South Carolina’s 40 goals this season is the most since 2016 (51) and the third time in five years they have reached at least 40 goals as a team
– South Carolina is the only team in the country this season who has played at least 20 matches and allowed seven or less goals
