Women’s soccer reaches 2nd round of NCAA tournament
While the South Carolina women’s soccer team ended its season earlier than its would have liked, the Gamecocks ultimately brought the program back to where they wanted to be.
Following a 7-10-4 campaign in 2012 that saw the team miss the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2006, South Carolina vaulted back into national relevance in 2013.
“We knew coming into this season we were gonna have a better year than last. We didn’t realize, maybe, how strong of a jump we would make,” head coach Shelley Smith said. “All that mattered was the players in the locker room knowing that they’re better in what they could achieve.”
Preseason rankings were unforgiving to a South Carolina team that felt it had not played as poorly in 2012 as its record indicated. The Gamecocks did not receive any votes in the NSCAA preseason poll, and the SEC Preseason Coaches’ Poll projected South Carolina to finish 10th in the conference.
“When you start the season with people thinking No. 10 in the SEC, it’s kind of a bummer,” senior midfielder Elizabeth Sinclair said. “But then it fuels your fire and you want to prove them wrong.”
South Carolina didn’t fly under the radar for long, defeating then-No. 7 Duke at home in only the third game of the season. The Gamecocks entered the top-25 for good in the Week Three edition of the NSCAA poll.
After going through nonconference play undefeated, South Carolina began to prove to its SEC counterparts that they were contenders. The team had arguably its best weekend in program history in early October when they defeated then-No. 8 Florida and Tennessee on the road, both in overtime. The victory over Florida marked the first time in program history that the Gamecocks knocked off two top-10 teams in the same season.
At the end of the regular season, one half-game separated South Carolina from SEC co-champions Florida and Texas A&M. But a 2-1 loss to A&M in the SEC Tournament semifinals wasn’t enough to keep the Gamecocks from their second national seeding in program history.
The third-seeded Gamecocks defeated Furman 5-0 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament before falling in a second-round heartbreaker to Stanford. The victory over Furman in Stone Stadium wrapped up the program’s first-ever undefeated home mark, which stands at 11-0.
“It just shows what a great fan base and support system that we have here,” Sinclair said. “And we were all really proud of that record and we just love playing at Stone Stadium.”
South Carolina’s defeat at the hands of Stanford effectively ended the run of one of the most storied senior classes in program history. As a group, the seniors helped capture the Gamecocks’ first ever-SEC regular season title in 2011 as well as leading 2013’s record-setting squad.
Smith noted the disappointment in 2012 that followed new heights in 2011 forced the seniors to appreciate hard work.
“They wanted to make sure they left on a high note,” Smith said. “They pushed each other and pushed their team and brought young players in under their wing and really brought a team together and that’s what you need out of your seniors.”
Sophomore midfielder Raina Johnson, one of the young contributers Smith alluded to, had a breakout season in 2013, recording a team-high 10 goals, including five game-winners – which was also best on the team.
Freshman midfielder Chelsea Drennan tallied 12 assists on the year, one shy of the program’s single season record, and freshman forward Daija Griffin finished the season tied for fourth on the team with 10 points.
However, the upperclassmen held their own on the field as well. Junior keeper Sabrina D’Angelo won the SEC Defensive Player of the Year Award after sharing the same honor as a freshman in 2011. She was also named to the All-SEC First Team for the third time alongside redshirt junior defender Taylor Leach. D’Angelo recorded 12 shutouts and allowed just 4 goals at “The Graveyard” this season.
Senior forward Danielle Au wrapped up a successful collegiate career with seven goals, four assists and four game-winners during her final campaign.
The mix of new and old certainly has Smith pleased with where her seniors have left the program, and the direction it is headed for the future.
“They certainly led the team this year to be better,” Smith said. “We have players that also are in the program that will pick up where they left off.”