Four second-half goals prove to be the difference
The Gamecock offense got off to a slow start in their match against High Point on Friday night, but they exploded with four second-half goals.
More than 2,400 people showed up to watch the Gamecocks’ 5-2 victory. With the win, the Gamecocks moved to 2-1 while the Panthers remain winless with an 0-3 record.
South Carolina dominated possession in the first half and had a couple chances, but it was the Panthers who struck first in the 37th minute. They were given a corner after the referee ruled a wild shot was deflected off a Gamecock defender. Head coach Mark Berson and his staff did not think it touched any of their players, but off the corner, Panther’s sophomore defender Adam Storm flicked a header past redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Robert Beebe.
Then, seconds later, things took a turn for the worst for High Point. The Gamecocks were pressuring a High Point defender in his own zone when he tried to pass the ball back to sophomore goalkeeper Kody Palmer. However, the ball managed to slip past Palmer and find the back of the net.
“That probably deflated them more than it did anything else,” Berson said. “I felt like our team felt like they were going to come back no matter if they were one down or not.”
South Carolina scored their first goal of the second half in the 50th minute after freshman midfielder Kurtis Turner found senior forward J.P. Rafferty on a through ball into the center of the box. Palmer hesitated a little bit before he came up to try to corral the ball, and Rafferty chipped it over his head for the score.
Nine minutes later, junior forward Asa Kryst made it 3-1 for the Gamecocks. Redshirt junior midfielder Stephen Anderson played a ball to Kryst wide to the right off a free kick, and the forward smashed it into the left side of the net.
Rafferty scored his second goal of the night in the 64th minute after receiving a pass from Turner at the top of the box and ripping it past the keeper.
The fifth goal came on a free kick by Turner that went to midfielder Hunter Wyer at the top of the box. The junior struck it past Palmer for the score.
The Gamecocks subbed most of their starters out by the end of the game, and USC conceded a penalty kick in the 86th minute after a Panther attacker went down in the box. Junior forward Mamadee Nyepon converted the PK to make it a 5-2 final score.
Berson was happy with his team’s offensive performance in the second half.
“We made some adjustments,” Berson said. “In the first half, we kept the ball very well. I was very pleased with the overall composure. We just didn’t get behind them enough, and make enough runs that threatened their goal. We need to work on recognizing the opportunities we were creating. In the second half, we did that and I think the result was that the goals came.”
Rafferty said he thought the victory will help the team’s morale after losing 2-1 in a close game against rival Clemson.
“It’s huge because we came out there (to Clemson) and it was a double overtime loss and obviously it’s something that’s really hard,” Rafferty said. “We came in here and made a statement today to everybody.”
Both Berson and Rafferty were pleased with the support they got from the crowd, which included 1,452 South Carolina students.
“I really want to thank the students tonight,” Berson said. “I’m telling you, our players play for their classmates, they play for their teammates, they play for their families. That’s who they represent, and that crowd tonight was outstanding. They really powered us to get through this game. We really appreciate it.”
Rafferty had one message for the students attending future matches.
“Keep coming; we’ll keep scoring goals,” he said. “I know everyone loves to see that.”
The Gamecocks travel to Myrtle Beach on Tuesday where they face Coastal Carolina at 6 p.m