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Women’s soccer faces Clemson Gamecocks riding 2-game win streak Paulina Berkovich
PBERKOVICH@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM
With two straight victories under its belt , the South Carolina women’s soccer team is ready for its biggest game of the season so far. USC w ill welcome Clemson to Eugene E. Stone III Stadium Saturday night and look to defeat its rival for the fifth consecutive year. Saturday’s kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. “It’s a n a maz i ng ga me,” coach Shelley Smith said. “There’s always so much excitement from both teams and from the crowd. It’s a great event. We’re always up for that game. Both teams are strong, so you see a good match with top college soccer, and we’re excited to be hosting them.” USC’s players are proud of their winning streak, but they understand a victory is not guaranteed. “It’s a confidence boost, but I think we also know that every year is a new year both for us and for Clemson,” ju nior captain Elizabet h Sinclair said. “While it’s good to have in our pocket, we can’t rely on the past to get things done right now. We know they’re definitely improving. Their younger players are now stepping into older roles and fi lling those shoes very well. It’s still going to be a tough game, but I think our defense is ready for them.” The Tigers come to Colu mbia with a 3-1 record on the year after dominating Presbyterian 6-0 Sunday. Clemson pulled away with four goals within fi ve minutes in the middle of the second half. USC has seen an offensive surge of its own of late, tallying fi ve goals in the last two games after scoring just once in the fi rst two games of the
Olivia Barthel / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
South Carolina junior captain Elizabeth Sinclair (7) said the team’s freshmen have impressed the team at the start of the season. season . Forward Coryn Bajema was named SEC Freshman of the Week after recording three goals in South Carolina’s victories over Mercer and Jacksonville. “We are so happy for her,” Sinclair said. “For a freshman to come in and get that right away and do as well as she’s been doing, it’s just awesome for her and for the team. We really hope that she continues that and continues to step up.” Bajema, along w it h fellow freshmen Stevi Parker and Courtney Angotti-Smith , have been essential to South Carolina’s offense. Parker scored USC’s final goal on Sunday, while Angotti-Smith leads the team w it h t h ree assist s on t he season .
Sinclair said t he newcomers have impressed their teammates with their contributions so far. “Both on the field and off the field, t hey’ve been huge,” Sinclair said. “They’re willing to work for us and willing to do the things we ask of them, even if it’s harder than what they’re used to. Coming into a D-1 sport is really hard, and I think they’re all adjusting and doing a great job and pushing themselves to be better.” Many of USC’s players are from out of state, but they understand the importance of the rivalry. Sinclair, who is from St. Louis, said the team will do everything possible to extend its winning streak against Clemson. “Even though we’re from out of
town, we’re part of the Gamecock f a m i l y a n d G a m e c o c k n at io n ,” Sinclair said. “It might not feel as big, but once you step onto the field, the atmosphere and everything gets to you, so you’re willing to do whatever it takes for Carolina to come out on top.” Note: The Gamecocks will welcome sophomore goalie Sabrina D’Angelo back to the team for Saturday’s match, as the Canadian team was knocked out of the FIFA U-20 World Cup over the weekend. North Korea sent Canada home with a 2-1 win on a late penalty kick . Comments on this story? Visit dailygamecock.com/sports
Cross country sets high goals for 2012 Gamecocks start season Friday Colton Menzel
SPORTS@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM
Olivia Barthel / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
Sophomore Asa Kryst had a shot on goal off the bench against College of Charleston in Friday’s game.
USC hosts tournament Men’s soccer plays pair of Big Ten teams Kyle Heck
KHECK@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM
For men’s soccer coach Mark Berson, his team has been steadily improving since the first scrimmage of the year. That improvement continued into the 1-0 victory over College of Charleston on Friday, and Berson hopes he ca n keep it goi ng t h is weekend when USC hosts the Gamecock Classic. “I think right now the key element for us is execution,” Berson said. “I t h in k t h is group has a good idea about what they’re doing. They have a good idea about what their identit y is out on the field, and now it is a matter of going out and playing well in key situations.” USC will need to play well ag a i n st No. 15 St . Joh n’s Friday night in the opener of the tournament. The Red Storm have been a traditionally powerful program and are led by coach Dave Masur, who has taken St. John’s to 17 NCAA tournaments in his 20 years of coaching. “He is one of the outstanding
c o ac he s i n t he c ou nt r y,” Berson said. “They will be very organized and extremely good in the attack. They’re a team that basically comes in with no weaknesses.” It took the Gamecocks some time to get going Friday against Charleston, notching only two shots in the first half; however, Berson is not planning on changing his strategy, saying that Charleston had a lot to do with the slow start. USC did have a couple of subst it ute players come in and cont ribute in t he w in over the Cougars, including sophomore Asa Kryst, who had a shot on goal; freshman Devin L’A moreaux, who recorded his first collegiate shot; and freshman Wesley Eads, who did the same. Berson thinks the substitute players will have even more of an impact in the Gamecock Classic and is planning to use the depth on his team. “ We’ l l g o e v e n d e e p e r into our roster for these two games,” Berson said. “We think depth is absolutely the No. 1 strength of this team. We don’t really have a set starting 11, and I think we can go 15 or 16 deep. I think throughout the year, you’re going to see a lot
of players play important roles for us.” A fter an off day on Saturday, USC will wrap up the Gamecock Classic against Nort hwestern. The team’s assistant coach Mike Babst held his same position at South Carolina for the last five years before he moved to coach the Wildcats. “Nort hwestern is out of another power conference (Big Ten) so they’re a very good team,” Berson said. “They have a quality program, and we have ties to both programs. We have a lot of respect for them as well.” Berson believes his team will need the momentum it has built up over the last few weeks and hopes for a strong showing this weekend. “It builds confidence, and it builds that moment um,” Berson said. “I think we have been starting to get us used to the level of competition that we’re going to face all year long. But make no mistake about it, this weekend is going to be a step up with St. John’s and Northwestern, and I know our guys will be ready.” Comments on this story? Visit dailygamecock.com/sports
There is change in t he air when it comes to c r o s s c ou nt r y at S out h Carolina, if you ask coach St a n Rosent ha l . A f ter a 2011 season riddled with m isfor t u ne a nd i nju r ie s led to an 11th place finish in the SEC, this year the Gamecocks are determined to make it right. W it h t he 2012 season looming, the runners are looking to achieve the lofty goal set forth by Rosenthal of climbing f rom t he basement of t he SEC to establish the program as a respectable power within the conference. South Carolina kicks off the cross country season at t he G amecock Inv itat ional on Friday at Hilton Field in Fort Jackson. “I n my yea rs here it ’s really t he f irst t ime I’ve got a group of women all willing to work hard enough to make our goals a real possibility,” Rosenthal said. Senior Virginia transfer C he l s e a Fr a n c e , t r a c kconverted star Kayla Lampe and team captains Penny Boswell and Meredith Mill will lead the Gamecocks as the top four runners on the squad. “On paper our top four are pretty good,” Rosenthal sa id. “The impor t a nt thing is keeping those four healthy, having good days when it counts and fi nding our fifth, sixth and seventh runners.” The fi nal three within the top seven could emerge from a variet y of places within the team. For example, the 2012 season w ill feat u re
the largest recruiting class i n t he h istor y of Sout h C a r ol i n a c ro s s c ou nt r y with 16 freshman runners. R o s e nt h a l h a s n o t h i n g but glowing reviews of his freshman class. “In my 12 years it’s our best f reshman class in terms of quality up front,” R o s e nt h a l s a id . “ I f e e l confident that there are so many that by the end of the year, numbers fi ve through seven will be at least close to Penny, Meredith, Kayla and Chelsea.” But Rosent hal said t he team knows it won’t come ea s y, a nd t he of f sea son training regimen will be c h a l le n g i n g. R o s e nt h a l wasted no t ime t h is fall working the team hard to improve each individual’s time. “One of our core work out s i s doi n g f ou r repeat m i le s w it h t wo minutes rest,” Rosent hal said. “The idea is to do that workout twice a month in the fall ... Then hopefully we’re a lot faster when the SEC (Championships) roll around.” W hat is the final goal? Rosenthal took great pride in explaining just how much his group can accomplish. “Our main goal is to finish in the top half of the SEC and top 10 in the first round of the NCAAs,” Rosenthal said. “If I’m dreaming, let’s say fi fth in the SEC ... and fifth in the first round of the NCAAs. That would be really special. But dreams can’t happen if you don’t h a v e t h e m . T h a t ’s t h e message we’ve been trying to instill. It’s certainly a possibility.” Comments on this story? Visit dailygamecock.com/sports