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In-State Showdown: South Carolina vs. Furman

Mark Berson and the South Carolina Gamecocks begin their quest to the College Cup with a match up with in-state opponent, Furman. Furman and South Carolina are two of five teams representing the state of South Carolina in the NCAA Tournament.

How they got here:

South Carolina: The Gamecocks fell to the unranked Marshall Thundering Herd by a score of 1-0, but thanks to a tough performance during the regular season, the Gamecocks received an at-large bid to crack the field of 48. The Gamecocks won 10 of 17 regular season games (with one draw), which is all the more impressive when you throw in the fact that the Gamecocks had the hardest non-conference schedule in college soccer. Wake Forest and Clemson, the nation's two best soccer teams, were on the schedule. Conference-USA is known for their prestige in soccer, so the Gamecock's didn't get a break when they played conference opponents. They finished the season in 3rd place in the crowded Conference-USA, which propelled them into the NCAA Tournament despite falling in the semifinals.

Furman: The Paladins knocked off East Tennessee State to win their second-straight Southern Conference Tournament championship. The 2nd-seeded Paladins knocked off the 4th-seeded Bucs. Sven Lissek was named the Most Outstanding Player in the tournament after he posted two shutouts in the SoCon Tournament alone.

Star Players

South Carolina: I've got to go with Danny Deakin here. The English midfielder makes up for in hustle and talent what he lacks in size and athleticism. Deakin's 10 goals leads the team and his 22 points (2 points given for a goal; 1 point given for an assist) is among the best in Conference USA.

Furman: The Paladins are notorious for their defensive performances. Junior defender Wellford Moore and senior Adrian McInnis are certainly deserving of praise, but it's the German goalkeeper Sven Lissek that stands out and really leads this team. It's not often a goalkeeper is given the Most Outstanding Player of any given soccer tournament, but that's just how good he is.

Key Stats

South Carolina: 22 assists. Not only do the Gamecocks have a standout scorer (something Furman lacks) in Deakin, but they share the ball well as a team. Decisive passes that thread the needle of the defense are a thing of beauty, and something the Gamecock attackers do well. On the other hand, the Paladins have a mere 15 assists. 22-15 may not seem like a big difference, but in the short seasons of college soccer, it is a fairly big difference.

Furman: 7 shutouts. This defense has prevented the opposing team from scoring 7 times this season. The Gamecocks, on the other hand, have only done that four times (all but one come against unranked teams). This is just another testament to how good Lissek and his defensive teammates are. Lissek is an elite goalkeeper and his defenders compliment him nicely.

Biggest Point of Emphasis

South Carolina: Hold up on defense. Whenever the Gamecocks struggle offensively, which may happen against Furman, the defense tends to get anxious and hurry up the game. They try to assist their offensive teammates by coming up the field, leaving huge holes in the defensive line. Berson needs to get his guys to calm down, play smart soccer, and good things will happen.

Furman: Score early. If the Paladins can score early, it could be over. The Paladins defense is elite no matter the circumstances, but playing comeback against them isn't going to be fun. The Paladins need to focus on getting off to a good start offensively and not worry too much about their defense, which usually holds up.

Prediction

South Carolina, 1 vs. Furman, 0

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