Spartans Take Nation's Best Offense to Davidson
9/24/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Spartanburg, S.C. – Averaging an NCAA-best 3.17 goals per game, the USC Upstate men's soccer team looks for its third straight victory when the Spartans travel to Davidson to face the Wildcats Friday at 7 p.m. from Alumni Soccer Field.
Upstate has scored 19 goals this season and at least three in four of its last five games, which includes a 5-4 win over Winthrop and a 3-2 victory at Gardner-Webb in its last two matches. The Spartans also turned in a 7-0 shutout of Presbyterian earlier in the season.
Freshman forward Gordon Wild serves as the offensive catalyst for Upstate thus far this season, entering the match with Davidson leading the nation in goals (12), goals per game (2.00), points (24), points per game (4.00), shots per game (5.67) and shots on goal per game (3.50).
Wild scored three goals in the come-from-behind win over Winthrop and two more, including the game-winning goal, Saturday at Gardner-Webb. For his efforts, Wild was named the NSCAA National Player of the Week, Top Drawer Soccer National Player of the Week and the Atlantic Sun Player of the Week, becoming the first player in over 23 years to be tabbed the A-Sun Player of the Week in three consecutive weeks. In addition, Wild was also selected as one of HERO Sport's four Studs of the Week.
Davidson (2-3-2) is winless in its last four matches after falling to No. 20 California and No. 3 Stanford last week in California. The Wildcats have not won since posting a 2-1 victory over NC State Sept. 7. Davidson, however, is unbeaten at home and is 2-0-2 at Alumni Soccer Field.
Senior forward Valeriy Sviderskiy leads the Davidson offense with five points on two goals and one assist. Both Alec Rotunda and Maxi Pragnell rank second on the team with three points apiece.
Upstate and Davidson are tied 2-2-0 in the all-time series that dates back to the 1980 season. The Wildcats registered a 4-3 overtime win in the last meeting in 2012.
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