Gamecocks fall to 1-1 in conference play after loss
In its second SEC contest of the season, the South Carolina women's soccer team suffered a rough 1-0 loss against Missouri Friday.
Though the Gamecocks controlled possession most of the game and had twice as many shots as the Tigers, they could not put anything in the back of the net.
They lacked the flair they’ve had in earlier games this season, and they now have to get refocused and reenergized for the second half of the season if they want to get that coveted SEC championship.
“We didn’t have the desire to win,” senior goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo said. “You could see it on the field. We weren’t playing as a team.”
There certainly was some miscommunication among the Gamecocks. They weren't playing with the unity that fans have become so used to seeing out of them.
They were called for offsides seven times, while Missouri didn't receive the penalty once. D’Angelo also commented that the team needs to get back to the basics and work on the little things throughout the week to stay on track.
"We’re a better team than we showed tonight,” head coach Shelley Smith said. “This unfortunately happens. We’ll have to bounce back.”
Even though South Carolina came up short against the Tigers, there were positive notes to Friday’s game. The Gamecocks dominated possession in the first half, and they won a large majority of balls in the air.
Freshman Savannah McCaskill threatened the goal consistently and sophomore Raina Johnson ran the field with her blistering speed on several counter attacks. Sophomore Chelsea Drennan ran the wings well on offense, despite leaving the field for a moment early on with what appeared to be a head injury.
Drennan has shown impressive playmaking potential, but the accuracy of her crosses was inconsistent against the Tigers.
The Gamecock defense looked solid as usual with just a few lapses against a very skilled and fast Missouri attack. This is only the third goal they’ve allowed this season, and the goals have been against three different teams called the Tigers.
South Carolina played a high-pressure defense, which took away the space and time necessary for Missouri’s playmakers. The Tigers' goal didn't even come from one of their big offensive threats.
The South Carolina defense contained the big play well, but were scored on off of a rebound by one of Missouri’s substitutes, Lauren Selaiden.
Smith seemed very confident about the remainder of the season.
“We come out of this learning from what we didn’t do tonight,” she said. “This team has shown that they’re capable of changing things and being better and learning from their mistakes.”
Smith also commented on the great team chemistry of the lady Gamecocks that they’ve demonstrated throughout the season.
After this contest, the Gamecocks are ranked No. 1 in the NCAA in fan attendance. 3,639 people came out to support the team Friday.