Freshman scores game-winning goal in 2nd minute over overtime
South Carolina came into Saturday night’s match against New Mexico with four brutal games to finish off the regular season. Still having to play two of the top three teams in Conference USA, the Gamecocks needed a win to remain afloat in the standings.
That game got off to a good start Saturday as the Gamecocks upset No. 25 New Mexico, who was second in CUSA standings, 1-0 in overtime. South Carolina secured the victory when freshman forward Eli Dent scored in the 92nd minute of the game to give the Gamecocks the 1-0 win.
After Hunter Wyer won the ball, Dent made the play of the night as he was able to keep his balance before taking the ball and splicing it between two New Mexico defenders. Dent and his teammates celebrated in the middle of the field after watching the ball soar just above the goalie’s head in the upper right hand corner to seal the win. The overtime victory was the first in seven attempts for the Gamecocks, something Dent said was long overdue.
“We’ve gone to a lot of overtimes and it hasn’t really gone our way, so I think we had this one coming,” Dent said. “I was just in the right place at the right time.”
Defense was the key for South Carolina (6-5-4, 3-1-2 C-USA), as the Lobos finished the night with 14 shots and 10 corner kicks compared to the Gamecocks’ eight and three, respectively. Though New Mexico (8-4-2, 4-1-1) had more offensive opportunities, goalie Marco Velez’s three saves helped the Gamecocks escape tough situations. A little luck might have also made way for the Gamecocks, as it looked as if New Mexico was going to score in the 62nd minute, but the ball skimmed the goalpost and bounced out.
Head coach Mark Berson said that the fans, 841 of which came to the home game, were key in the overtime victory.
“Our home crowd is fantastic … it means a lot to our players,” Berson said. “Our players play for themselves, they play for their classmates, they play for their family and they were all here tonight and it really helped power us.”
Fans not only witnessed South Carolina’s first win over a top-25 opponent this season, but also saw Berson garner his 450th win since he’s been coaching the Gamecocks. Berson captured the milestone in his 36th year as coach of the Gamecocks and bringing his school record to 450-129-67. Berson didn’t let the occasion stop him from giving thanks to his players, saying that they earned the victory.
“I’m mostly just proud for our players; these guys have really hung in there and battled all year long,” Berson said. “It’s a big win for us in the conference, it’s a big win for us in the national level and most importantly for our guys. They deserve this.”
South Carolina will now prepare for two tough road games against Florida International and No. 10 UAB before finishing their season at Stone Stadium against Old Dominion. A strong finish could propel the Gamecocks up in the standings as they currently sit fourth in the conference. The win against New Mexico will serve as a confidence booster, something Dent said will go a long way for South Carolina to finish strong.
“This is a great victory. We’ll definitely go into the next couple games with a lot of confidence,” Dent said. “We’re a team that still has a lot of potential that we really haven’t quite grasped yet.”