UCSB Tops USC, Ending Carolina’s Season

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (USC SID) — South Carolina (11-8-2) played a strong match in the NCAA Tournament Second Round, but No. 15 seed UC Santa Barbara (14-6-2) punched home a shot in the first overtime to claim a 1-0 win on Sunday evening at Harder Stadium. Gamecock sophomore goalkeeper William Pyle made seven stops on the night, including one in the 92nd minute on a header by Ismaila Jobe that brought on a Gaucho corner kick. Jobe would not miss again, however, pushing a shot in at 92:28 to end the match and send UC Santa Barbara onto the round of 16. South Carolina controlled the run of play for most of the second half, firing off four shots in the period and forcing two saves. The Gauchos responded late with a spurt, but Gamecock sophomore William Pyle collected two more saves to keep UCSB off the scoreboard for regulation. South Carolina‘s defense also played a big part in limiting and redirecting the Gauchos‘ chances. Pyle stopped four Gaucho shots in the first half. Game Changer: UC Santa Barbara came out swinging in overtime, never letting the Gamecocks get a chance after South Carolina held more possession and chances in the second half. Key Stat: Pyle‘s seven saves kept UCSB off the board until the 93rd minute. Notables: “¢ Senior Jeffrey Torda fired three of South Carolina‘s five shots in the contest, including both that were on goal. “¢ Seniors Torda, Ryan Arambula, Asa Kryst, Devin L‘Amoreaux and Wesley Eads all saw time in their final match in the Garnet and Black. “¢ Kevin Feucht led all players with four shots on the night, two coming on goal.