Gamecocks kick off 2018 season with No. 13 Georgetown Friday night
COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina men’s soccer opens its 2018 season on Friday night at home against No. 13 Georgetown. Stone Stadium’s gates will open 1 hour prior to the 7 p.m. ET kickoff.
Expectations are high for the Gamecocks, who return 14 letterwinners and eight starters from 2017. Preseason All-Conference USA selection Luca Mayr is back to lead Carolina’s offense. The junior striker led the team in points (18), goals (6) and assists (6) in 2017 en route to earning First Team All-C-USA honors. Sophomore forward Justin Sukow is also back after a breakout freshman campaign. He finished second on the team with 12 points (5G, 2A). He led Carolina with three game-winning scores, which T-2nd in C-USA.
The Gamecocks opened the season with a 1-1 draw in a friendly with No. 10 Duke on Aug. 15. Carolina led 1-0 for the first 81 minutes of the match thanks to an early second half goal by Mayr. Carolina picked up a 4-2 win in its final exhibition match against Gardner-Webb on Aug. 18. Junior Tucker Monheimer scored two goals in the second half to lead the Gamecocks to the victory.
Head coach Mark Berson enters his 41st season as head coach for Carolina. He’s been the only coach for the program since its first season in 1978. Berson is the active wins leader in NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer with 500 career victories. He is one of just four coaches all-time to hit the 500-win plateau.
Friday night’s contest against the Hoyas will mark a stretch of three consecutive home matches against 2017 NCAA Tournament teams to start the season.
