Upstate Ends Regular Season vs. ETSU on Senior Day at County University Soccer Stadium
11/2/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
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Spartanburg, S.C. - With a spot in the A-Sun Tournament already secured, the USC Upstate men's soccer team turns its attention to Saturday's regular season finale against rival ETSU on Senior Day at County University Soccer Stadium.
Upstate will look to put a cap on what has been arguably the top season since the Spartans joined Division I and the A-Sun in 2007. Upstate enters the game with a 5-9-1 overall record and a 3-4-0 mark with nine points in the A-Sun. The Spartans clinched their first ever appearance in the A-Sun Tournament on Wednesday night. ETSU, which is battling to try to get to second place in the league, enters Saturday's match with a 9-6-2 overall record and a 5-2-0 mark with 15 points in the A-Sun.
Upstate stands 0-3-1 against ETSU in the series that dates back to the 2008 season when the Buccaneers started their men's soccer program. The Bucs have outscored the Spartans 8-3 in the series.
Fans can follow the action online at upstatespartans.com with links to free 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 Northern Kentucky
Northern Kentucky scored in the 18th minute of the game and held on to beat Upstate, 1-0, Wednesday night. Despite the loss, the Spartans still clinched a spot in the upcoming A-Sun Tournament by virtue of Stetson's loss at Florida Gulf Coast. NKU outshot Upstate 15-5 for the game. The first half saw most of the action as NKU held a 10-2 advantage in shots. The second half was closer in scoring opportunities with the Norse holding a 5-3 lead. Matt Flynn and Derek Dearmond both had opportunities in the second half which were saved by NKU's goalkeeper.
Spartans Lock Up Spot in A-Sun Tournament
When Stetson lost at Florida Gulf Coast Wednesday night, the work Upstate has put in throughout the season paid off as the Spartans clinched a spot in the six-team A-Sun Tournament. The tournament will be played Nov. 7-11 at the #1 seed, which will be determined after play on Saturday. There are now four teams that have clinched a spot in the tournament - Mercer with 18 points, Florida Gulf Coast with 16 points, ETSU with 15 points and Upstate with nine. Three other teams - Lipscomb, Stetson and Jacksonville - are battling for the two remaining spots. Jacksonville must defeat North Florida to assure itself of a spot in the tournament. Stetson ended A-Sun play with seven points. Upstate can finish anywhere from the No. 4 to the No. 6 seed based on play Saturday.
Upstate to Honor Seniors Saturday
Prior to the start of the game against ETSU Saturday night, Upstate will honor the contributions of eight seniors to the program. The eight seniors have all played key roles in the evolution of the program on the Division I level, culminating in the program's first-ever appearance in the A-Sun Tournament this season. The Spartans will honor Tim Bailey, Matt Begley, Kieran Clancy, John Collins, Dylan Hoop, John Kadane, Grant Kercher and Kareem Richardson. The senior class has produced all three of the Spartans' top overall win totals since moving to Division I in 2007 and with three wins this season in A-Sun play, have set the single season school record for A-Sun wins in the Division I era.
