Spartans Close Out Weekend Against Stetson
10/21/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 21, 2008
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SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The USC Upstate women's soccer season is nearing its end, as the team approaches their final Conference games this weekend. The Spartans will host Florida Gulf Coast on Friday night and Stetson on Sunday, trying to put an end to their recent scoring drought. The Spartans finished 3-15 overall last year, and have four games left to play to better that record this year, as they currently stand at 3-12. The Spartans will have to give a consistent effort and produce offense to earn head coach Kendall Reyes his 70th career win at Upstate this weekend.
History against opponents:
Florida Gulf Coast: The Spartans competed against the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles for the first time last season in Atlantic Sun Conference competition. The Eagles earned the 1-0 victory over Upstate. FGC is currently ranked fourth in the A-Sun, with a 3-1-3 Conference record, and is coming off a recent upset win over the third-place Belmont Bruins.
Stetson: The Hatters lead the all-time series, 1-0, over the Spartans after last year's 4-0 victory over the Upstate squad. The Hatters are coming off a 2-0 win over Lipscomb, giving head coach Jule Orlowski her 100th career win.
Upstate Hosts Final Conference Games of Season
The Spartans will be home for the final time against Atlantic Sun Competition this weekend, hosting both FGU and Stetson at 7 p.m. on Friday night and 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, respectively. After this weekend, Upstate will travel to Coastal Carolina on Oct. 30 before hosting Radford on Nov. 2 in their final game of the season.
Reyes Close to 70 Career Wins
After starting the women's soccer at USC Upstate in 2000, head coach Kendall Reyes is one win shy of reaching 70 career wins at the University. As the only coach in the program's history, it would be a significant milestone for the women's soccer program, especially if the win came over a Conference opponent this weekend. "After a tough weekend on the road, I expect us to rebound and play with a boost of confidence that we need, especially playing at home in front of our loyal fans," said Reyes.
Spartans Are Improving Behind the Scenes
To most outsiders, a 3-12 overall record at this point in the season doesn't measure up to success, but for the Spartans, however, it's a strong improvement from where they have been. In only their second year of Division I play after transferring from the Peach Belt Conference in which they saw great amounts of success, the Upstate women have improved upon a 3-15 overall record from last year. Though the numbers aren't there, the talent level and overall attitude has drastically improved. The young Spartan squad has gained valuable Division I experience in the past two seasons. They are continuing to do the smaller things in play that will eventually translate to wins. It's no easy process in handling the transition to a much more competitive level of soccer where patience is the key.
Breeding Young Talent
The Spartan team boasts eight freshman on this year's roster, many of which have made an immediate impact on the field. Caitlin Robinson is tied for the team lead with 3 goals and one assist, while Crystal Hackett leads the team with 18 shots. Erin Vavro has started each game at defense, while Jordan Brown was named to the Carolinas Borders Classic All-Tournament Team. The freshmen class is sure to be a great foundation for the Upstate future.
Offensive Distribution
The Spartan offense hasn't just been led by one player. Numerous different players have made contributions on the field. Santana De Freitas, Caitlin Robinson, Crystal Hackett, Alyssa Roegner, Jaclyn Bishop, Catherine Nolff and Kay Knepp have all scored goals for the Upstate team, while Carmen Osorio, Caitlin Beale and Liz Pontillo have tallied assists.
Spartans To Look Out For:
Santana De Freitas: De Freitas is one of the Spartan's leading scorers with three goals and one assist on the season. The fiesty junior midfielder is both a tough defender and talented offensive player that can sneak by players.
Crystal Hackett: The freshman native from Connecticut is one of the fastest players on the field. She has started 14 games for the Spartans and leads the team with 18 shots. She has tallied one goal and two assists.
Caitlin Beale: The freshman from Fayetteville, Ga., is finding her place on the field. Beale boasts amazing speed for the Spartans and was recently noted by Reyes to have played one of the best games for the Spartans, filling in for the injured Meg Korpita on defense.
Caitlin Robinson: Robinson is also an offensive threat on the field for the Spartans. She is tied with De Freitas with a team-leading three goals and has earned one assist on the year. She has a strong first touch and can be very effective in the forward position.
