USC looks to extend winning streak
South Carolina’s men’s soccer team has enjoyed a successful stretch of Conference USA victories in recent weeks.
It will attempt to improve that win total tonight when it returns home to take on SMU.
USC and SMU have produced several exciting matchups over the years, including the Gamecocks’ victory last season in the conference tournament that earned them a trip to the championship game. USC coach Mark Berson said he won’t be surprised to see another memorable game this time.
“Year in and year out SMU is a team of heritage in college soccer,” Berson said “This will be a big game. We know SMU has some great players and we’ll have to play a great game against them, but they’ll need to be ready for us too, and that’s one of the reasons that these teams respect each other so much.”
The Gamecocks enter the matchup fresh off a 1-0 victory over UAB last Thursday, improving their record to 3-0 in the conference.
“This was a very good win on the road, in conference,” Berson said. “We played very well in all aspects of the game tonight and to get a shutout on the road in league play and our fourth straight win shows the direction in which this team is moving.”
USC’s lone goal was scored by Bradlee Baladez in the sixth minute and sophomore keeper Alex Long earned his first collegiate shutout en route to the victory.
The undefeated start marks the Gamecocks best since joining Conference USA in 2005, during which they also won the conference title.
“Those three wins get us started on the right foot in conference,” Berson said. “We have a string of wins and good results. This team is now starting to come of age a little bit and we felt like this would be a different team in October. They work hard and believe in themselves. All of those little things coming together have made a big difference.”
The Gamecocks were scheduled to face Central Florida on the road last Saturday but the match was postponed due to inclement weather. A makeup date for the match has yet to be arranged.
“Obviously we were disappointed,” Berson said. “We were in the lobby of the hotel, dressed and ready to go to the field when the game was postponed. I thought it was the correct decision because the conditions there were very poor.”