SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums College, Pro & International Soccer USC M Soc Exhibition vs Elon

COLUMBIA, S.C. ­ South Carolina continues its preparation for the 2014 regular season with a 7 p.m. exhibition against Elon at Stone Stadium on Tuesday. Admission is free for all fans to the final home scrimmage before the season opener.

The Gamecocks played a wide variety of personnel and formations in its first outing against USC Upstate, a 2-1 setback. After a rest day on Sunday, the team had its next-to-last double-practice day on Monday to clarify roles and prepare for the Phoenix. Senior defenders Mahamoudou Kaba and Braeden Troyer return as a part of nine starters back for the Gamecocks. Both made the preseason All-Conference USA squad, with Kaba taking the preseason Defensive Player of the Year nod. Also back is 80 percent of the goals scored for the squad that finished fourth in C-USA and downed eventual College Cup participant New Mexico during the year.

Elon returns six starters from last year’s team that went 15-5-3 and won the Southern Conference title in its final year in the league. Now in Colonial Athletic Association, the Phoenix had three members make the preseason squad, including senior forward Jason Waterman. It’s the first year for head coach Chris Little leading the squad after three years as an assistant from 2010-12.

South Carolina, in its 37th year under the only head coach in program history Mark Berson, has made 20 NCAA Tournaments. In 12 years of conference play, the squad has 2 league titles (1 Metro and 1 Conference USA) and 2 Conference USA Tournament titles.

Gamecocks Fall in Second Exhibition, 1-0, to Elon
South Carolina finishes preseason on Saturday at Furman

COLUMBIA, S.C. ­ In front of a giant crowd of students who came out for the free exhibition, South Carolina fought but could not contain Elon, as the Phoenix claimed a 1-0 win on Tuesday evening at Stone Stadium.

A penalty kick three minutes into the second 30-minute period found its mark, as James Brace went left to beat the Gamecock keeper for the only goal of the match.

South Carolina tried to even things quickly after the Elon PK, getting four corner kicks in a two-and-a-half minute span. The only shot from the sequence went wide off a Gamecock head. The Gamecocks tallied 12 shots, five coming on goal. Jeffrey Torda had three of those on-goal chances and five shots total. His best strike came in the 41st minute, as his blast was tapped over the crossbar and gave the Gamecocks another corner kick chance, one of six in the contest.

The fans filled Stone Stadium for the night, with a line of students wrapping around “The Graveyard” early in the match. “I have never seen a crowd like that for a preseason match,” said Gamecock head coach Mark Berson.

South Carolina closes its preseason schedule with an exhibition on Saturday at Furman. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

I was riding by there last night and saw the lights on at The Graveyard. Huge crowd! Must have been more than 3,000 fans in attendance. Hopeful that the Gamecocks play better once the season begins.