Second-half defense holds lead after Gilbert’s goal
In the words of junior Gabrielle Gilbert, Sunday’s game against Georgia took a huge weight off USC’s shoulders.
Playing before former USC players who returned for Alumnae Day, potential players who came for a recruitment weekend and the men’s soccer team, which took the field immediately afterward, the women’s soccer team defeated the Bulldogs 1-0 for its first conference win of the season.
“It was a thrill,” said coach Shelley Smith. “We’ve been working hard and getting closer and not quite finishing games, and [it was] a great feeling to get back on the winning track.”
Gilbert, who is from Ontario, recorded USC’s lone goal of the day, joking that it was a gift for Canadian Thanksgiving, which was on Monday.
She scored in the 21st minute after senior defender Dani Henry passed the ball into the box from the left side and junior Danielle Au’s shot was blocked by Georgia keeper Ashley Baker. Gilbert, running up from the right, put the rebound in the back of the net.
Gilbert, who has played both offense and defense, now has two goals to go along with three assists on the season.
Georgia appeared to tie the game in the 37th minute, but its goal was called back due to an offsides call. Smith said the team focused on maintaining its defensive intensity in the second half to avoid giving up the lead.
Last weekend, when the Gamecocks played at Auburn, they took a 2-0 lead before giving up four unanswered goals.
“I thought we came out and played a great game in the first half, and there wasn’t a lot to adjust (on defense),” Smith said. “It was just making sure we were smart keeping the ball and putting the ball in more dangerous areas so we didn’t give Georgia a chance.”
The Gamecocks received a boost with the return of junior midfielder Elizabeth Sinclair, who missed the last two weekends with an injury. Sinclair played 73 minutes off the bench in Friday’s 1-0 loss to Tennessee, but she was back in the starting lineup on Sunday and played all 90 minutes.
Smith said the team missed Sinclair’s consistency and leadership during the four games she could not play. As a captain, the junior was an emotional leader for the Gamecocks in the final minutes of Sunday’s game.
“I was trying to keep everyone settled down because we’ve been up in the league before, and unfortunately we’ve given up a goal or two to tie or lose the game,” Sinclair said. “It’s stressful, and you want to make sure that we play all 90 minutes.”
Smith said she was already sure of the team’s effort on Sunday.
“It’s always stressful to the end,” Smith said. “A game is never over until the horn blows. I felt good about our team and where we were. We were battling, and we wanted it today. I knew we could win the game.”
Sunday’s game marked USC’s first regular-season win over Georgia since 2006. Last year’s Gamecocks took a 1-0 lead against the Bulldogs, but gave up the tying goal less than a minute later on the way to a 2-1 loss in double overtime.
But this year, Smith said South Carolina’s defensive effort paved the way for its first SEC victory.
“It was just a matter of us making sure we did our jobs,” Smith said. “The girls did that [Sunday], and obviously it’s a relief to get that first conference win.”