Spartans Host A-Sun Leader Mercer Sunday Afternoon in Coaches vs. Cancer Game
10/26/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Complete Release in PDF Format
Spartanburg, S.C. - With a little more than a week left in the regular season, the USC Upstate men's soccer team will play host to A-Sun leader Mercer Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. at County University Soccer Stadium. The game will not only be crucial to the Spartans' positioning for the upcoming A-Sun Tournament, but is also Upstate's Coaches vs. Cancer game.
Upstate head coach Greg Hooks and the other A-Sun coaches joined together for participation in the Coaches vs. Cancer program for men's soccer. The American Cancer Society is coordinating the program with all proceeds raised from the match going to help in the fight against the deadly disease.
Upstate will enter Sunday's game with three wins and nine points in the A-Sun. Mercer secured one of six spots in the A-Sun Tournament with a 2-1 win over Northern Kentucky Thursday night and leads the conference with 15 points. Upstate is 5-7-1 overall and 3-2-0 in the A-Sun. Mercer is 10-5-1 overall and 5-1-0 in the league.
Upstate is 3-2-1 in the all-time series with Mercer, a rivalry that started in 1982 but has taken form since Upstate moved to the A-Sun in 2007. Since 2007, the Spartans are 2-2-1 against the Bears, 1-1-0 in games played at County University Soccer Stadium.
Fans can follow the action online at upstatespartans.com with links to free live video on ASun.TV and free live stats. A complete game recap and statistics will be available following the completion of the game.
Looking Back at Lipscomb
A tough defensive battle was decided just over five minutes into the first overtime period as Dave Musambi delivered the game winner to give Upstate a 1-0 victory at Lipscomb last Sunday. The win gave Upstate three victories and nine points in the A-Sun standings, keeping the Spartans in the No. 4 slot for the A-Sun Tournament. Dani Alvarado made three saves on the day, two in the second half, to keep Lipscomb off the scoreboard and Musambi's header after a Lipscomb foul made the difference as the Spartans took the important win.
Records Reached with Win at Lipscomb
With its tough 1-0 victory at Lipscomb last Sunday, Upstate tied and broke Division I era wins records. The Spartans reached five overall wins, tying the 2009 and 2011 squads for the most wins since moving to Division I in 2007. The three league wins are the most since moving to the A-Sun in 2007 as well.
Tourney Time is Drawing Near
When Upstate kicks off its game against Mercer on Sunday afternoon at County University Soccer Stadium, there will be less than a week remaining in the regular season as teams jockey to claim one of six spots in the upcoming A-Sun Tournament. Mercer has already clinched a spot in the tournament and is currently the league's number one team with 15 points. ETSU is solidly in second place with 12 points, while Florida Gulf Coast (10), Upstate (9), Jacksonville (6), Lipscomb (4) and Stetson (4) are battling for the remaining four spots. Northern Kentucky, with 10 points, in not eligible for the tournament in its first year of a four-year transition period to Division I.
Follow the Spartans on your mobile device, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
