During the playoffs, there isn’t much time for celebration — not even after advancing past Clemson in penalty kicks.
While the Gamecocks thoroughly enjoyed besting their rivals in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, all the South Carolina women’s soccer team is focused on now is beating Seattle.
The two teams will square off on Friday in Chapel Hill, North Carolina with the winner facing either two-seed North Carolina or Colorado in the third round.
Like the third-seeded Gamecocks, Seattle had a doozy of a first round matchup, going on the road to face No. 23 Washington State.
To the surprise of many, Seattle, the WAC champions, pulled off an upset, winning 2-1 in double-overtime.
Although Seattle isn’t ranked, South Carolina head coach Shelley Smith believes every team still alive at this point is talented enough to win games. Each contest from here on out will be a tough battle.
Seattle has just four losses on the season, and the Redhawks have yet to lose by more than one goal in 2014.
“In soccer, it’s very evenly matched at this point in the year, so we have to make sure that we’re on the top of our game, and make some big plays to move on,” Smith said.
Getting to the second round is quite the accomplishment in itself for the Gamecocks.
South Carolina was the only three-seed in the country that had to face a nationally ranked opponent in the first round, and it wasn’t until Sabrina D’Angelo made her second save in penalty kicks that the Gamecocks were able to squeak by Clemson.
Still, the Gamecocks have much loftier goals that they want to achieve.
“I think when we have all 29 players on the same page, and doing the same thing that we’re all supposed to, we really have no limits on where we can finish,” defender Andie Romness said. “I definitely think we can make it to the Final Four and College Cup and all that.”
To turn its goals into realities, South Carolina will have to continue to defend well while increasing productivity on offense.
The Gamecocks have played over 243 minutes since scoring a goal.
However, South Carolina is 13-0-3 when scoring first and the Gamecocks will hope to get offensive threats Savannah McCaskill and Sophie Groff going early.
Meanwhile, South Carolina’s defense, the 11th best in the nation in goals allowed per match (0.56), will have its hands full with Seattle.
The Redhawks are averaging 3.24 goals per game, third best nationally.
In particular, containing Seattle forward Stephanie Verdoia will be a main priority.
Verdoia has been a goal scoring machine for Seattle, and her 22 scores are good for second most in the country.
“[Seattle’s] attack has been very good,” Smith said. “They’ve got one in particular who’s scored several goals, and that’s a threat.”
While Seattle will have to travel across the country for Friday’s game, South Carolina will just have to make a short trip up the east coast, and midfielder Stevi Parker thinks that will benefit the Gamecocks.
“That three-hour time change is kind of tough,” she said. “So I think we’re definitely going to have the advantage, especially sleepwise.”