Gamecocks Welcome No. 18 Panthers for Morning Matchup
Carolina is on a four-match unbeaten streak for the first time in five years
COLUMBIA– The Gamecocks are back in action at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday morning at Stone Stadium for a match against No. 18 Florida International.
Fans will receive free admission and gates are set to open at 9:30 a.m. Concessions will not be sold, but fans are able to bring in food and sealed drinks.
GAMECOCK NOTABLES
Carolina won its most recent match against Georgia Southern, 3-1, behind goals from Logan Frost, Andrew Halloran and Brian Banahan.
The win is the third in the Gamecocks’ last four matches. They are on a four-match unbeaten streak for the first time since 2016.
Frost’s goal was his third in two matches. The junior forward scored twice last Saturday night against UAB in front of his friends and family in Birmingham.
Frost now leads the Gamecocks in points with 11 and goals with four.
Jared Gulden, Kyle Gurrieri and Lorenzo Nagy all added assists during Tuesday night’s victory.
Carolina has a knack for earning corner kicks. The Gamecocks are tied for 13th in the country with 6.83 corner kicks per match.
The Gamecocks have been dominant against the Panthers, owning a 16-2-5 record against them. One of those wins was on Nov. 1, 2019, which was also the last time Carolina took down a ranked foe.
SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
The Panthers come into Saturday’s match ranked 18th in the country in the United Soccer Coaches Week 7 poll.
FIU is on a four-match unbeaten streak of its own. In its last outing, FIU drew with No. 6 Kentucky, 0-0.
The Panthers are in the top 10 in the NCAA in shots per game (fourth, 17.7) and shots on goal per game (seventh, 7.5).
FIU has shut out its opponent seven times in the nine results it has earned this season, including in its most recent match against No. 6 Kentucky.
SERIES HISTORY
Series Record: South Carolina leads 16-2-5
Last Meeting: 4/10/2021
Last South Carolina Win: 4/10/2021, 3-2
Last FIU Win: 11/13/2019, 3-0
Last Tie: 10/10/2016, 0-0 (2OT)
QUOTABLES
Head Coach Tony Annan on …
… his thoughts heading into the match with FIU:
“The expectation is to hopefully perform at the level we’ve been performing at for the past couple of matches. We’ve definitely got some momentum. I feel like the guys have definitely turned a corner. I’m hoping we can play with the same effort.”
… how the offense has improved:
“It’s like everything: it takes time. It’s a process to adjust and adapt to new movements and a different way of playing, so I think in the last three or four games, they’re finally starting to connect with each other and understand the timing and the triggers of the movement. I think that has resulted in us creating more clear chances. I’m pleased with that.”
… what FIU does well:
“They’re a very good team. They’re a very mature team. They have some good players, some very dangerous players. We will prepare as best we can to stop them playing the way they want to and play the way we want to.”
