Spartanburg, S.C. – With one scrimmage already under its belt, the USC Upstate men's soccer team will close out its preseason workouts Tuesday night in a scrimmage against Gardner-Webb at County University Soccer Stadium. Start time is slated for 7:00 p.m.
Upstate opened the scrimmage season with a 5-1 victory over Spartanburg Methodist College last week. The Spartans got two goals each from Jan Wienholt (Sr.; Bocholt, Germany) and Dylan Hoop (Jr., Cincinnati, Ohio). Senior Timo Foerster (Oberkirk, Germany) had a goal and an assist in the match. Upstate held a 2-1 lead after the first 30-minute period, took a 3-1 lead after the second period, and finished with a pair of goals in the third period for the final margin.
Gardner-Webb played an exhibition game against Georgia State last week and fell to the Panthers, 1-0, with a goal in the 44th-minute right before halftime.
Upstate played 26 of its 28 roster players against SMC last week. While showing its depth, the Spartans got key contributions from three key upperclassmen on the offensive end of the field. Returning seniors Wienholt and Foerster came up big and showed the type of leadership seasoned veterans are supposed to possess. Foerster fed Wienholt with a pass in the middle of the box and Wienholt put the shot away to give Upstate a 2-1 lead in the first period for the eventual match-winning goal. Wienholt scored the third goal of the game for the Spartans, while Foerster's goal in the 63rd-minute gave the Spartans a 4-1 lead.
Another upperclassman, Hoop, notched a pair of goals. Although a junior, he is a newcomer to Upstate after playing his first two seasons of college soccer at Cincinnati State. He opened the scoring with a goal in the sixth-minute and closed the scoring with a goal in the 84th-minute to put bookends on the match.
Upstate out-shot SMC 20-6 for the match and held the Pioneers to just one shot over the final 60 minutes of play.
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