Fresh off a strong performance in last weekend's Nike Sooner Classic, the South Carolina women's soccer team will return home for its home opener at Stone Stadium against NC State. The Gamecocks went 9-2 in Columbia last season, losing to Vanderbilt in overtime and UNCW in the NCAA Tournament.
The Gamecocks are coming off a 4-1 win over Tulsa where junior forward Savannah McCaskill netted a hat trick. McCaskill is part of a three-headed monster for the South Carolina attack, joined by seniors Sophie Groff and Chelsea Drennan, who is just three assists shy of setting the program record.
NC State enters the season after they failed to win a conference game on the way to a 4-15 campaign. The Wolfpack split two games in the Wake Forest Tournament last week, beating La Salle 6-1 before losing 1-0 to San Diego.
The Gamecocks will continue to sort out their goalkeeper battle, and it is unknown whether Hunter Peifer or Mika Krzeczowski will start in net. Peifer earned the win in South Carolina's win over Tulsa, while Krzeczowski made eight saves in the team's 1-1 draw against Oklahoma.
The regular season will kick off at Stone Stadium at 7 p.m. Thursday. The home stand is short-lived, as the Gamecocks will take on UCF in Orlando on Sunday.