Nov. 1, 2007
Complete Game Notes in PDF Format 
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina women’s soccer team travels to Gainesville to take on the 22nd-ranked Florida Gators in Carolina’s regular season finale Friday. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. as the Gamecocks (13-4-2, 5-3-2 SEC) hope to improve on their six-game unbeaten streak and SEC-leading 11 shutouts.
Carolina is coming off a 1-0 shutout against Arkansas last Sunday and is currently fourth in the SEC Tournament race. Carolina can finish anywhere from fourth to seventh in the conference as they take on a red-hot Florida team that is 11-4-2 and 7-2-0 in conference play. The Gators dropped their first two SEC games but have won seven straight since. With two regular season games remaining – Florida and Vanderbilt will make-up a postponed game on Sunday – Florida is still in the hunt for the SEC regular season championship as they sit in third place behind Georgia and Tennessee.
Carolina is 1-14-1 all-time against the Gators and has not won in Gainesville. The Gamecocks will be led by senior goalkeeper Laura Armstrong who leads the conference and is fourth nationally with a 0.39 goals against average.
ON THE HORIZON
South Carolina next heads to Orange Beach, Ala., where they will participate in the SEC Tournament from Nov. 7-11. Depending on the outcomes of this Friday’s conference matches, the Gamecocks can place anywhere from fourth to sixth in the tournament standings.
SCOUTING FLORIDA
Florida (11-4-2; 7-2-0) is the hottest team in the SEC and is currently riding a seven-game winning streak. The Gators dropped their first two conference matches – at Tennessee & Georgia – but have rattled off seven straight since. Their seven-game win streak matches South Carolina for the longest by an SEC team this season. Midfielder KeLeigh Hudson was named to the TopDrawer Soccer Team of the Week after turning a hat-trick in UF’s 5-0 win against LSU.
JACOBS BRINGS NEW LIFE, EARNS SEC FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Freshman Brooke Jacobs saw her first action of the season against Marshall after recovering from a leg injury suffered her senior season of high school. Jacobs tallied three assists in her first two games for the Garnet and Black and earned the start at Georgia. Jacobs earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors this week after recording the game-winning goal – and her first career goal – to defeat Arkansas on Senior Day. She’s the first Gamecock since Alex Mouton (2005) to earn the honor.
SOUTH CAROLINA RETURNS TO THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
South Carolina remains in the national rankings this week and is ranked No. 26 by Soccer Buzz. Carolina dropped out two weeks ago following a tie and win at Mississippi State and Ole Miss, ending a school-record six consecutive weeks ranked in the polls. They were 25th last week.
RHOADES PLAYS LIKE NO FRESHMAN
Freshman defender Brittiny Rhoades tallied her first points as Gamecock in notching the game-winning assists at Ole Miss and Arkansas. Rhoades has started 18 of 19 games at left back and has proven to be an All-SEC caliber defender as Carolina’s best one-on-one lockdown defender.
BIGBIE’S BIG BREAK
Sophomore Shannon Bigbie was inserted into the Carolina starting lineup against Ole Miss and the results have been all positive for the Gamecocks as they are unbeaten since the switch. USC defeated Ole Miss (3-1), Alabama (2-0) and No. 25 Auburn (1-0) and tied No. 20 LSU (1-1).
