Men's Soccer . October 3, 2024

Men's Soccer Hosts Pink Out Match Friday Night

(RV) South Carolina Gamecocks (6-1-2, 1-1-0)

vs.

Kentucky Wildcats (1-2-4, 0-0-2)

Oct 4, 2024 | 7:00 pm Columbia, S.C. | Stone Stadium

TV: ESPN+

ONLINE:

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina men’s soccer team hosts Kentucky Friday night for a Pink Out match at Stone Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Anyone who wears pink to the match will get a special $3 ticket at the gate. Additionally, pink rally towels will be given out to the first 750 fans thanks to Prisma Health, the official health care provider of Gamecock Athletics.

TICKETS

Single-game tickets are now on sale. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for youth 17 and under, and $3 for groups of 15 or more (with pre-purchase). You can also purchase the Gamecock Go Pass for $20 a month. The subscription mobile pass will give you access to all non-conference home football games and all home games for men’s and women’s basketball*, baseball*, softball, men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball. You can also join the Men’s Soccer VIP Supporter Club for $100. In addition to free admission at all home regular season home games, members receive a limited-edition Under Armour hat and a soccer crest magnet.

PARKING

Gamecock fans will be able to utilize free parking in the grass lot located behind the Athletics Village Parking Garage (1300 Heyward Street) or at the Roost (201 South Marion). Fans will also have the option to park at any of the City of Columbia metered spots located around Stone Stadium (subject to fees required through the ParkMobile app). The Athletics Village Parking Garage will not be available.

Gameday Information – #WEareCarolina
When: October 4 | 7 p.m.
Where: Columbia, S.C.
Venue: Stone Stadium (5,700)
Broadcast: ESPN+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Series History: Kentucky leads 12-8-4
Last Meeting: South Carolina 1, Kentucky 0 | Sept. 15, 2023 | Lexington, Ky.

Taking the Pitch

This will be the 25th meeting between the Gamecocks and Wildcats.
South Carolina won the meeting last year, but the Wildcats earned the victory during their last meeting in Columbia during the 2022 season.
The two teams have met every year since 2005.
Kentucky leads the all-time series scoring 29-to-26.

Quick Notes

Carolina led the nation last season in attendance (4,306) for the second straight season.
That looks to continue this season with already having the second and third largest crowds in program history this season.
- 6,622 attended the season opener vs Winthrop (8/22) and 6,400 vs Clemson (8/30). Those matches rank 2nd and 3rd in the nation for single-game attendance this season. The Marshall and USC Upstate matches also rank in the top-11.
All eight home matches rank in the NCAA top-30 for single-game on-campus attendance.
The Gamecocks continue to receive votes in the coaches poll.
Carolina played its 500th all-time match at the Graveyard against Belmont (9/7).
Carolina had its six match unbeaten streak end against #10 Marshall.
- It was the longest unbeaten streak to start a season since winning seven straight to begin the 2003 season.
- It was the longest unbeaten streak at any point since going eight straight in 2016.
The Gamecocks rank second in the nation in goal differential, third in scoring offense and total goals, eighth in points per game, and 11th in shot accuracy and total points.
Harrison Myring ranks 20th in the nation in total goals and 21st in goals per game.
Ballek ranks 5th in points per game, 8th in points, 9th in total goals, 14th in shots on goal per game, 15th in goals per game, and 19th in shot accuracy,
Ballek and Alejandro Velazquez-Lopez ranks 21st in game-winning goals.
Andrew Goldsworthy was named the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week on 8/10.
Carolina’s match against Jacksonville was suspended in the 50th minute. The match needed to go 70 minutes to become official, as the two teams will look to try to resume it at a later date.
Carolina has earned a point in its first three matches for the first time since 2014.
Harrison Myring has scored in each of the first three matches the season, the first player to do so since Brian Banahan during the spring 2021 season.
The seven goals scored by Carolina in the season opener were the most in a match since scoring eight goals against the Citadel in the 1999 season opener on Sept. 1.
The 27 shots attempted by the Gamecocks were the most since also taking 27 shots against Georgia Southern on Sept. 13, 2016.
- Carolina had 21 shots on goal on the night. Although program records are not kept, that is the most in a match since at least 1999.
Ethan Ballek notched five points (two goals, one assist) in the season opener.
- His goals came back-to-back, in the 34th and 40th minutes.
- Ballek led the way with nine shots, becoming the first player since Sam Arthur on Sept. 2, 2008, against Presbyterian to put up nine shots in a match.
Harrison Myring, Alejandro Velazquez-Lopez, Martin Yahia, Grant Mateer, and Einar Ness also scored.
- It was the first collegiate goal for Velazquez-Lopez, Mateer, and Ness.
This is the 47th season of South Carolina men’s soccer.
The Gamecocks have an all-time record of 533-288-87.
The Gamecocks begin their third season in the Sun Belt Conference.
Carolina was picked to finish sixth in the conference by the coaches.
The roster features many new faces from a season ago with 19 newcomers; 10 transfers and eight true freshmen.
They return five starters from a season ago, including three starters in the defensive end, and two midfielders.
For the latest on men’s soccer, visit com or follow the team’s social media accounts on Twitter @GamecockMSoccer, Facebook /GamecockMSoccer, and Instagram @GamecockMSoccer.