SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- The USC Upstate men's soccer team returns to Big South play as they look to gain their first points in the conference against the Winthrop Eagles Saturday.
Saturday's MatchUP
September 28, 2023 | 7:00 p.m.
Eagle Field | Rock Hill, S.C.
USC Upstate (3-4-1, 0-1-0 Big South) at Winthrop (2-5-0, 1-0-0 Big South)
How They Stack UP
USC Upstate (3-4-1, 0-1-0 Big South) at Winthrop (2-5-0, 1-0-0 Big South) with common opponents being Coastal Carolina and North Florida. The Spartans and Eagles both claimed season opening wins against the Ospreys and Chanticleers respectively, but Upstate would fall 1-0 to Coastal while Winthrop took a 4-1 in Jacksonville.
Series:
Winthrop leads the overall series 3-6-1 but the two teams are 2-2-1 in the five matchups as conference foes, with the Spartans on a 3-game undefeated streak in Rock Hill. The 1-1 tie last season was the lowest scoring match of the series.
Last Five Matches
10/22/2022 | (UPST 1 | WIN 1)
10/13/2021 | (WIN 3 | UPST 2)
3/7/2021 | (UPST 3 | WIN 1)
11/2/2019 | (WIN 6 | UPST 4)
9/25/2018 | (UPST 4 | WIN 3)
Players to Watch:
Jeremy Montero is hitting his stride for the 2023 season as the senior Spartan has three goals and an assist over the last three matches, which included a brace earned against South Carolina. Jimmy James and Dario Stadler found goals of their own against the Gamecocks while Felipe Marty, Ezra Hoffman, and Luke Halkett all earned assists for the scoring efforts. Cooper Jennings earned his third shutout victory of the season, denying a Gamecock penalty kick in the process.
For the Eagles, the duo of Ricardo and Rodrigo Ferreira has proven to be a potent scoring threat, with the two combining for four goals and three assists on the season. In the net, the Eagles are still trying to find consistency as they have played three keepers through the seven matches of the 2023 season so far. Senior Sam Bell is the only one to start more than one match.
Last Time Out:
The Spartans are riding high after a dominating 4-0 victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks which saw Upstate strike first in the 2nd minute of the match. Over the last three halves of play, the Spartans have outscored the opposition 7-2.
Winthrop took the pitch in Spartanburg against the Wofford Terriers but fell 4-2. Wofford jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first half before the Eagles cut it to a one goal game in the second, but the Terriers scored two more insurance goals to effectively end the match.
GET INVOLVED
Want to be a ball kid for USC Upstate Soccer? Kids ages 10 and up can help the Spartans all season long by retrieving game balls on the sidelines during home men's and women's soccer matches at County-University Soccer Stadium. Click here for more details.
Connect with the Spartans
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics
Twitter | @UpstateMSoccer
Instagram | @Upstatemenssoccer
Youtube.com/UpstateSpartans
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