Upstate Women's Soccer Travels to Nashville This Week
10/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 1, 2007
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SPARTANBURG, S.C. - USC Upstate will continue to look for its first win in the Atlantic Sun Conference this weekend as they travel to Nashville, Tenn. this weekend to take on Lipscomb on Friday, Oct. 5 and current A-Sun leader Belmont, Sunday, Oct. 7. The Spartans have never faced either of the Nashville-based schools.
Upstate 0-3 in Last Week's Play
USC Upstate's valiant efforts this past week came up short as they went 0-3, playing three games in six days. The Spartans rallied from a 2-0 deficit at Radford Sept. 24 to tie the game at 2-2, but the Highlanders scored three goals in the final 10 minutes to take a 5-2 win. Sophomore forward Melissa Kuhar notched her team-leading fifth goal of the season during the game. Upstate then looked for its first-ever Atlantic Sun Conference win in its first conference game against Jacksonville Sept. 28, but Dolphins forward Keri Zwikker scored two goals in to send the Spartans to a 2-0 defeat. Junior goalkeeper Samantha Spradley had nine saves to lead Upstate. The Spartans twice fell behind North Florida by two goals and made several late charges despite falling in the end, 3-2, on Sept. 30. Freshman defender Meg Korpita and freshman midfielder Alyssa Roegner each scored goals.
First-Time Goals For Three Players Last Week
It was a big week last week for three USC Upstate freshman players as each scored their first career goals. Freshman forward Lindsay Schulz took advantage of a turnover and deposited her first career goal in a 5-2 loss at Radford Sept. 24. Two Spartans also turned the trick on Sept. 30 against North Florida. Freshman defender Meg Korpita took a left cross from sophomore midfielder Carmen Osorio and kicked it from 20 yards out just inside the right post. Later in the game, freshman midfielder Alyssa Roegner also scored when she banked a shot off the left post into th net. So far this season, seven Upstate players have scored their first career goals.
Osorio, DeFreitas Set Them Up
Sophomore midfielders Carmen Osorio and Santana DeFreitas have been consistent this season in finding those who find the back of the net. Osorio and DeFreitas, who are from Spartanburg and nearby Boiling Springs respectively, are currently tied for the team lead with three assists and tied for seventh in the Atlantic Sun Conference. DeFreitas has already matched her assist total from 2006 when she tied for the team lead. Osorio recorded her first two career assists in the opener Sept. 1 against S.C. State and has taken most of the corner kicks for the Spartans this season. The connection between DeFreitas and Osorio runs deeper than just being currently tied for the team lead in assists. Their fathers, Arlindo DeFreitas and Carlos Osorio, were on the first-ever men's soccer team at USC Upstate in 1980 and were teammates from 1980-82.
Upstate Successful at County University Soccer Stadium
Since County University Soccer Stadium was opened in 2001, USC Upstate has had a history of success at home. Upstate is 33-15-6 all-time at County University Soccer Stadium with a winning percentage of .667. The Spartans were 10-1-0 at home during the first season of play at County University Soccer Stadium in 2001, winning the Peach Belt Conference regular season championship. Since the program began in 2000, Upstate is 35-22-7 at home (.602 winning percentage).
Kuhar Among A-Sun Leaders in Goals
USC Upstate sophomore forward Melissa Kuhar has emerged as one of the Spartans main goal scorers this season. Kuhar, a native of Erie, Pa., has scored five goals in 2007, which ranks her at tied for sixth in the Atlantic Sun Conference. She also leads the Spartans in points with 11, and has taken 27 shots, which also are a team-high. Kuhar has already surpassed her goal and point totals from her freshman year in 2006 when she scored three goals and had eight points.
Spreading the Wealth
USC Upstate has gotten contributions from all over the field so far this season. Through eight games, 11 different Spartans have scored goals and 14 players have at-least one point. In 2006, only nine Upstate players scored goals and recorded points. In breaking the down the Spartans production by position, forwards have recorded 12 goals and two assists, midfielders accounting for eight goals and 11 assists and defenders have notched two goals and three assists. Through eight games, Upstate has already tied its goals scored from last season as the Spartans tallied 22 goals in 2006 and has surpassed last season's marks of 15 assists and 59 points.
