Wake Forest Athletics
Soccer Gameday: Wake Forest vs. No. 3 South Carolina
8/23/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
By Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeWSoccer)
| Gameday Central | Wake Forest vs. No. 3 South Carolina | |
| vs. South Carolina | Wake Forest vs. No. 3 South Carolina - Thursday, Aug. 24, 7:00 p.m. |
| Location | Winston-Salem, N.C. (Spry Stadium) Facility Info | Weather |
| Information | Match Notes | @WakeWSoccer  |
| Coverage | ACC Network Extra |  |
The Matchup
• Wake Forest will face No. 3 South Carolina in the regular season home-opener. The two teams will face off on Thursday at 7 p.m. inside Spry Stadium. The game can be seen on ACC Network Extra, with Ty Collins on the call.
Last Time Out
• The Demon Deacons began the 2017 season with two matches on the road. The team defeated Georgia, 1-0, in the regular-season opener on Aug. 18, thanks to a goal by Peyton Perea in the 39th minute. Wake Forest then defeated Davidson, 4-0, on Aug. 20 behind a pair of goals from freshman Hannah Betfort. Reci Smith and Maddie Huster also scored against the Wildcats.
Wake Forest Storylines
• Wake Forest finished the 2016 slate with seven shutouts, just one shy of the program record of eight set in 2013.
• The Deacs are returning their top three scorers from last season in Peyton Perea, Maddie Huster and Bayley Feist. The trio also finished the 2016 campaign with double-digit point totals as Huster recorded five goals and four assists for 14 points, Perea finished with six goals for 12 points and Feist had five goals and two assists for 12 points.
• Wake Forest is returning 19 members from the 2016 roster while welcoming seven freshmen.
Scouting the Gamecocks
• South Carolina is coming off of a 21-2-1 season that included a run to the 2016 NCAA Elite Eight. The Gamecocks started off this season 2-0-0, with home victories over UCF and Florida Gulf Coast. The team is currently ranked third in the United Soccer Coaches Poll and sixth in the Soccer America Top 25 Rankings.
• The Gamecocks are returning five starters from last season, including All-American Savannah McCaskill. The senior forward was the 2016 SEC Offensive Player of the Year and is currently tied for the team lead in points with four (1G, 2A). The Gamecocks are also returning All-SEC First Team member Mika Krzecozowski in goal. As a freshman last season, Krzecozowski posted a school-record 0.43 goals-against average, along with 11 shutouts.
• This will be the sixth meeting between the Wake Forest and South Carolina programs. The Demon Deacons lead the all-time series 3-1-1, including the most recent contest in which the Deacs won in Columbia on Sept. 18, 2011 by a margin of 2-0. The series is tied 1-1-0 in Spry Stadium, with the Gamecocks taking the most recent home match, 1-0, on Sept. 19, 2010.
Camper/Clinic Reunion Night
• Our contest against South Carolina will be a camper/clinic reunion night. All campers/clinic attendees who wear their camp t-shirt will receive free admission.
Looking Ahead
• Wake Forest will face Charlotte in Spry Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 27 at 1 p.m.
• The match will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.
• After Sunday, the Deacs take a quick trip to George Mason on Sept. 1 before returning home to face Princeton on Sept. 3.
