Thursday's MatchUP
August 26, 7:00 p.m. EST
USC Upstate (0-0, 0-0 Big South) at N.C. State (0-0, 0-0 ACC)
Dail Soccer Field/Track Complex | Raleigh, N.C.
TV: ACCNX | Via WatchESPN.com or the ESPN App
Series History
USC Upstate is 0-1-1 all-time against N.C. State after fighting the Wolfpack to a 0-0 draw in the first meeting between the two teams on Oct. 10, 2017 before falling 3-1 to N.C. State in the 2018 season opener.
Big South Preseason Poll and Awards
USC Upstate, last year's Big South Tournament runner-up, collected 53 points in this year's Big South Conference Preseason Poll to finish third in voting behind reigning champion High Point (80 points, eight first-place votes) and Campbell (73 points, one first-place vote).
Redshirt junior Mario Arrocha finished third in voting for the Big South Preseason Offensive Player of the Year after collecting three first-place votes and 14 total points. Arrocha helped lead the Spartan attack last season with a team second-most 34 shots, and he started all nine matches in which he appeared. He netted two goals on the year, including the early equalizer against GWU to force OT and the game-winning goal against Winthrop. He also had three assists, two of them coming in a 3-2 win over Asheville.
Last Time Out
The Spartans are coming off one of the best seasons in the program's Division I era. Led by reigning Big South Coach of the Year Scott Halkett, Upstate finished the regular season tied for second with a 6-3-1 record and a 6-1-1 slate in Big South play. Those six wins are the most conference wins in Upstate's Division I history, and the second-most overall wins in the DI era.
Upstate concluded its spring 2021 season with the program's first-ever trip to the Big South Championship Final. The Spartans ultimately fell 3-1 despite striking first in the first minute of play when Filippo Censini sent a long ball up the field to former Spartan Moss Lewis who beat the High Point keeper from the top left corner of the box. Upstate finished the season as the tournament runner-up.
Ones to Watch
USC Upstate returns eight starters and 17 total letterwinners this season. Returners include Second-Team All-Conference and All-Freshman forward Jeremy Montero who recorded the second-most points by a freshman in Upstate's DI history (11) last season and appeared in all 10 matches for the Spartans, earning the start in the last four. He ranked second on the team with five goals including Upstate's lone goal in a 1-0 win over Longwood. Montero also netted two goals in a 3-2 win over Asheville. He went through a span of four games where he either scored or assisted a goal and totaled 18 shots on the year.
Second-Team All-Conference defender Hayden Anderson and All-Freshman defender Elias Ehlin also return after each being part of a backline that allowed just 14 goals and 81 shots (42 on goal) on the year, never allowing more than two goals in a match, and holding the opponent to eight or less shots in six matches. The backline also allowed just two shots the entire match against Presbyterian College and Gardner-Webb. Anderson started all 10 matches and amassed 914 total minutes played, including playing the full time in eight matches while Ehlin appeared in all 10 matches with nine starts and totaled 849 minutes, playing the full time in six matches.
Midfielder Paul Bobai also returns after earning Honorable Mention All-Conference honors last season. He was a crucial part of the Spartan midfield as he started all 10 matches for the Spartans, totaled 10 shots on the year, and tallied 613 minutes of playing time. Bobai also netted the first goal of the game against PC.
UP Next for the Spartans
Upstate continues its season-opening road stint with a trip to Clemson on Sunday, Aug. 29. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
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