ORLANDO, Fla. – The South Carolina men’s soccer team looks to continue the momentum after upsetting No. 1 ranked UCF in the quarterfinals of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, when the Gamecocks face third-seeded and No. 7 ranked West Virginia in the tournament semifinals November 8 at 7 p.m.
Gameday Information – #WEareCarolina
When: November 8 | 7 p.m.
Where: Orlando, Fla.
Venue: UCF Soccer and Track Complex (1,475)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Broadcast: ESPN+
Series History: Tied 1-1-1
Last Meeting: West Virginia 3, South Carolina 2 | Oct 12, 2023 | Columbia, S.C.
South Carolina Gamecocks 6-8-3, 3-4-2 Sun Belt
Coach: Tony Annan | 3rd Season – 16-25-9
Goal Leader: 6 | Adam Luckhurst
Assist Leader: 4 | Kasper Lehm
Points Leader: 12 | Adam Luckhurst
Shots Leader: 31 | Ethan Dekel Daks
Saves Leader: 62 | Ben Alexander
#7 West Virginia Mountaineers 13-1-4, 5-1-3 Sun Belt
Coach: Dan Stratford | 4th Season
Goal Leader: 12 | Marcus Caldeira
Assist Leader: 9 | Yutaro Tsukada
Points Leader: 26 | Marcus Caldeira
Shots Leader: 70 | Yutaro Tsukada
Saves Leader: 41 | Jackson Lee
Taking the Pitch
- This will be the 4th meeting between the Gamecocks and Mountaineers.
- The two teams earned a 0-0 draw during a rain soaked match last season at West Virginia.
- The Mountaineers earned a 3-2 win earlier this season in Columbia.
- WVU went up 2-0, but the Gamecocks scored two goals two minutes apart to tie the match.
- The Gamecocks won the first meeting 2-1 in overtime in Columbia on Sept. 5, 1982.
Quick Notes
- South Carolina leads the nation in both cumulative and average attendance (4,306)
- Carolina has hosted three of the top seven highest attended on-campus NCAA men’s soccer home matches this season (#5 – Old Dominion, #6 – Jacksonville, #7 – UNCW).
- They also claim nine of the top 21 spots in highest attended home matches (#10 – Georgia State, #12 – USC Upstate, #13 – Queens, #14 – West Virginia, #20 – UCF, #21 – Coastal Carolina), along with their road match at Clemson ranking as #11.
- Only Clemson, Creighton and North Carolina have two matches in the top-20.
- South Carolina is the only program in the nation to have all of its home matches (10) rank in the top-50 for attendance.
- Carolina defeated No. 1 ranked UCF 2-1 in the Sun Belt Tournament quarterfinals.
- It was their first win of a No. 1 ranked team in program history (0-4-1, previously).
- Jordan Illian scored the game-winner with 33 seconds left vs Coastal Carolina.
- Illian notched a brace,…