Men's soccer aims to improve home record, end two-game losing streak
South Carolina men’s soccer will take a break from its Conference-USA schedule Wednesday to take on in-state foe Wofford at home.
The 4-7-2 Gamecocks will look to end a two-game losing streak in a return home, where they have been much more successful this season. Their record at Stone Stadium remains more than .500 at 3-2-2, while recent losses have dropped the team’s away mark to 1-5-0.
The Terriers and reigning Southern Conference player of the week Carlos Dominguez Gonzalez come to Columbia looking to rebound from a losing effort in their SoCon home opener against Davidson, which was also the first loss in their last four games. Wofford currently sits in second place in the Southern Conference with an 8-5 record.
South Carolina traveled to Hurricane, W.Va., Saturday to play Marshall in the Gamecocks’ first October away game. A loss against the Herd came after a late USC surge failed to produce an equalizing goal. Marshall entered the second half with a 2-0 lead, but USC sophomore midfielder Braeden Troyer chipped away at that margin with a 76th-minute goal.
Seven more attempts would follow that score, including a save on a shot from freshman Wesley Eads in the closing moments of the contest.
The defeat would bring South Carolina to a 1-4-1 Conference-USA record and a spot in seventh place in the standings. The Gamecocks will enter Wednesday’s match eight points behind conference leader, and 17th–ranked team in the country, Southern Methodist. SMU recently moved up eight spots in the national polls from No. 25.
USC, currently sitting in last in the conference in points, goals and goals per game, will look to improve on its offensive efficiency in its upcoming matches.
The Gamecocks' defense, led by redshirt junior goalkeeper Alex Long, will also attempt to close some holes, having allowed the most goals in C-USA this season.
A strong point for South Carolina can be found in the team’s corner-kick game. USC is fourth in the conference with 74 corner attempts, including 11 corners drawn against Marshall compared to four kicks from the Herd.
Wednesday will mark the beginning of a three-game home stand for USC, with a final Conference-USA matchup against Memphis on Oct. 20 and a visit from the No. 15 Chanticleers of Coastal Carolina on Oct. 24 to close out the Gamecocks’ home schedule for the regular season. Only five games remain for South Carolina before the C-USA tournament in Birmingham, Ala., kicks off Nov. 7.