Sunday's MatchUP
March 21, 12:00 p.m. EST
USC Upstate (4-2-1, 4-0-1 Big South) at UNC Asheville (2-2-1, 2-2-1 Big South)
Greenwood Soccer Field | Asheville, N.C.
TV: ESPN+ | Via WatchESPN.com or the ESPN App
PxP: Matt Stradley
Series History
Since 2009, Upstate and Asheville have played each other eight times, with the Spartans going 4-3-1 in those matchups. Upstate took the first three matchups in the all-time series, but have gone 1-3-1 in the last five contests against the Bulldogs. Most recently, Upstate lost 1-0 on home turf back on Sept. 28, 2019.
Last Time Out
USC Upstate men's soccer won its third straight match with a 1-0 shutout at Longwood last Sunday evening to remain unbeaten at 4-0-1 in Big South play, 4-2-1 overall. Goalkeeper Felipe Baeza was solid in net for Upstate and turned away two shots on target to record his first shutout of the year, fourth as a Spartan. The Spartans have now won four conference games in a season for the first time in Upstate's Division I era, and the first time as a program since 2006 as a DII member of the Peach Belt Conference.
UNC Asheville is coming off a hard-fought draw at Radford, 1-1, back on Thursday, March 11. The 2-1-1 start for the Bulldogs is the best start in program history since 2003.
Ones to Watch
Upstate – Jeremy Montero was named Big South Freshman of the Week this past week after scoring the lone goal against Longwood and recording an assist against PC before that. Montero has appeared in all seven games for the Spartans this season and has tallied three goals, including Upstate's lone goal in the season opener at South Carolina and another goal in a 4-1 win over Winthrop on March 7. The Spartan offense is powered by Pol Monells who has five goals and five assists, with the five helpers ranking sixth in all of Division I. Felipe Baeza has played every minute in net, totaling 21 saves with nine goals against. As a team, Upstate's 15 goals rank 17th in the nation.
UNC Asheville – Nate Evans scored his first goal of the season against the Highlanders, while freshman Leon Musial picked up a career-high six saves. Miles Peay has been an assists machine for Asheville, registering one in each game for the Bulldogs. Peay's 1.0 assists per game average rank fourth in the nation. In net, Musial has racked up 14 saves, and his 3.50 saves per game average ranks 65th in Division I.
UP Next for the Spartans
Upstate returns home to host High Point in the homecoming match on Saturday, March 27. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m.
Home Game Attendance Information
Due to social distancing protocols for all outdoor venues at USC Upstate, attendance in the grandstands will be limited this spring. Fans are required to wear face coverings, and tailgate chairs are encouraged for fans to utilize the grass berms at Harley Baseball Park, Cyrill Softball Stadium and County-University Soccer Stadium. Spectators will be asked not to congregate in groups of six or more and maintain at least six feet from others on the grass areas. Admission for these events is complimentary thanks to our on-going partnership with Ingles Markets. For more information, click here.
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