Men's Soccer . October 31, 2024

Gamecocks Wrap Up Road Schedule Friday Night

South Carolina Gamecocks (9-3-2, 4-3)

UCF Knights (5-5-3, 3-4)

Nov 1, 2024 | 7:00 pm Orlando, Fla. | UCF Soccer and Track Complex

TV: ESPN+

ONLINE:

Live Stats

ORLANDO, Fla. – The South Carolina men’s soccer team wraps up the road portion of the regular season when the Gamecocks travel to UCF Friday (Nov. 1) for a 7 p.m. match.

Gameday Information – #WEareCarolina
When: November 1 | 7 p.m.
Where: Orlando, Fla.
Venue: UCF Soccer and Track Complex (2,000)
Broadcast: ESPN+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Series History: South Carolina leads 9-2-4
Last Meeting: South Carolina 2, UCF 1 | Nov. 5, 2023 | Orlando, Fla.

Taking the Pitch

This will be the 16th meeting between the Gamecocks and Knights.
Carolina won the first meeting on Nov. 5, 1979, 1-0 in Orlando.
The Gamecocks took down the then-No. 1 Knights last season in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament 2-1.
The Gamecocks are 5-1-1 all-time in Orlando, with the lone loss coming in 2019.
UCF has won two of the last three meetings, but Carolina has won four of the last six.
All-time, Carolina holds a scoring advantage of 28-14.

Quick Notes

Carolina received votes in this week’s coaches poll and ranked 25th by TopDrawerSoccer.
Jonah Biggar was named to the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week on 10/29.
They 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, third, and ninth 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 3rd and 4th in the nation for single-game attendance this season. The Marshall and Kentucky matches also rank in the top-10.
All 10 home matches rank in the NCAA top-37 for single-game on-campus attendance.
The Gamecocks rank 4th in the nation in shot accuracy, 7th in scoring offense, 8th in goal differential, 12th in total goals and points per game, 17th in total points, 20th in winning percentage, 22nd in shots on goal per game, and 29th in assists per game.
Harrison Myring ranks 20th in the nation in goals per game, 23rd in total goals, and 28th in points per game.
Ethan Ballek ranks 22nd in total goals, total points, and points per game, 23rd in shots per game and shots on goal per game, and 25th in goals per game.
Filip Versterre ranks 38th in goals against average and 48th in shutouts.
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.
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 earned a point in its first three matches for the first time since 2014.
Harrison Myring 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 535-290-87.
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 GamecocksOnline.com or follow the team’s social media accounts on Twitter @GamecockMSoccer, Facebook /GamecockMSoccer, and Instagram @GamecockMSoccer.