COLUMBIA, S.C. – The โUniversity of Southโ Carolina โขmenS soccer team continues โits three-match โhomestand Wednesday, hosting Charlotte at Stoneโ Stadium.โฃ Kickoff is โsetโค for 7:00 p.m. ET.
The Gamecocks are looking to build on a strong start to the โseason,โ having begun โwithโค back-to-back road โvictories – aโ feat only โฃaccomplished once before, in 1995. Key to โtheir early success has been the offensive โคcontributions โขof Mika Habel adnโ Andrew Goldsworthy,both of โขwhomโข scored their first career goals โคin the recent win over the College of Charleston.โ Freshman Matthew DeJianne has also made an โimmediate impact, โrecording assists inโฃ his first two collegiate matches, both on goalsโ by Habel.
Carolina was predictedโค toโ finish fifth in the โSun Belt conference by the league’s coaches. Leading the way areโค preseason All-Sun Beltโฃ Team selections Ethan Ballek, Alexander Stjernegaard,โค andโ Alejandro Velazquez-Lopez. Ballek also earnedโฃ recognition on the United Soccer Coachesโ Forwards to Watch List, while Stjernegaard โคwas named to the USC Midfielders to Watch โขList.
The team features aโ blend of experience and new โฃtalent,returning eight starters from last season and โคwelcoming 13 newcomers,including nine โคtransfers and four true โfreshmen. The squad also anticipates the full return of Mika โHabel โand Junior Saintโ Juste, who were limited by injury last year.
Fansโค can followโข the Gamecocks throughout โขtheโ season at GamecocksOnline.com and on social media via โTwitter (@GamecockMSoccer), Facebook (/GamecockMSoccer), and โฃInstagramโฃ (@GamecockMSoccer).