Upstate Women's Soccer Back Home Thursday
10/10/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 10, 2007
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SPARTANBURG, S.C. - USC Upstate (2-8-0, 0-4-0) comes into this week looking for its first Atlantic Sun Conference win and returns to the grounds of County University Soccer Stadium Thursday, Oct. 11 to take on Campbell (1-7-1, 0-3-1) at 7 p.m. The Camels are also looking for their first win in the A-Sun and it will be the first meeting between schools.
Upstate 0-2 in Last Week's Play
USC Upstate took to the road this past weekend, traveling to Nashville, Tenn. to take on Lipscomb and Atlantic Sun Conference leader Belmont. At Lipsomb last Friday night, Bisons forward Emma Scanlon scored in the 46th minute and, despite a late Spartan charge, Lipscomb held on for a 1-0 win. Upstate goalkeeper Samantha Spradley made seven saves. On Sunday afternoon, the Spartans kept Belmont in check for most of the match until the Bruins' Kari Lennon scored in the 63rd minute. Upstate made a late charge in the closing minutes, but Belmont held on for a 1-0 win. Spradley led the Spartans with five saves.
Upstate Faces G-W For First Time Since 2000
USC Upstate will hit the road again this Saturday, making the short, 32-mile journey from Spartanburg to Boiling Springs, N.C. to face Gardner-Webb (4-7-0, 2-2-0) at 2 p.m. at Varsity Field. Despite the close proximity of the schools, they have only faced each other once, but that game ranks in the history of Upstate women's soccer. On August 30, 2000, Upstate traveled to Gardner-Webb for the first game in women's soccer history. The Bulldogs denied Upstate a win in its first game as they came away with a 1-0 win.
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 ninth 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 10 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.
Reyes There From the Start
Not many coaches can say they were there when a women's soccer program was started and when it made its transition to Division I. USC Upstate head coach Kendall Reyes is the only women's soccer head coach in school history, arriving along with the program in 2000. Reyes has compiled a 65-64-13 record in eight seasons including a Peach Belt Conference regular season championship in 2001 and three seasons of 12 wins or more (2001, 2003, 2004). He was also named Peach Belt Conference Coach of the Year in 2001. In March 2007, Reyes was appointed to the position of State Technical Coordinator for Coaching Education by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). He is the first and only person of color to hold the position in the organization. In addition, he was also appointed as an NSCAA National Staff Instructor in the summer of 2007.
