BLUFFTON, S.C. - After cancelling and rescheduling several matches due to Hurricane Dorian, USCB women's soccer added a pair of tough road matchups, as the Sand Sharks will travel to No. 17 Georgia Gwinnett on Sunday and to No. 4 Martin Methodist on Tuesday.
About USCB
Now toting a 4-0 overall record, USCB continues to ride its best start in program history. The Sand Sharks have defeated South Carolina State, Erskine, Georgia Southwestern and Converse to begin the season. In those four games, USCB has outscored its opposition by 20 goals, 21-1.
The Sand Sharks are also one win away from matching the longest winning streak in program history. USCB won five straight games to end the 2013 regular season. In that five-game winning streak in 2013, USCB held a 12-4 advantage in goals scored.
In USCB's dominating victory over Converse, USCB tallied eight goals in the road contest. Those eight goals scored was the most in a single game since recording nine goals versus Ave Maria during the 2017 season. However, the eight goal scored was the most scored in a single road contest in program history.
In the seven-goal road win, USCB had seven different goal scorers versus the Valkyries - Sydnee Metzold, Lexi Kaeser, Brooke Newman, Anna Gignilliat, Julia Gherardi, Hannah Salus and Gabriella Baldo. Gherardi was the only Sand Shark to net multiple goals in the game, while Allison Schaffer and Baldo were the only players with multiple assists at Converse.
Scouting No. 17 Georgia Gwinnett
Georgia Gwinnett, who was ranked No. 8 earlier this year, enters Sunday's contest with a 4-2-1 overall record in 2019. The Grizzlies are 1-1 at their home field with its only loss being a 2-0 defeat to Sun Conference member Keiser.
The Grizzlies started the season red hot, as they were undefeated for the first four games (3-0-1). In that stretch, they pitched two shutouts over Bryan and Thomas alongside an eight-goal win over Rochester (9-1). In the last three games, GGC is 1-2-0 with losses to Middle Georgia State and Keiser.
GGC has recorded 20 goals in seven games this year (2.86 goals per game), as 13 different players have found the back of the net. Only three Grizzlies have recorded multiple goals this year in Joy Mertzig (4), Jenny Stadin (3) and Skylar Bertram (3). Mertzig and Stadin are tied for the team lead in points, as they each have 10 apiece.
Georgia Gwinnett has used three goalkeepers this year, but Sophie Hoare has seen the most action - six games and four starts. She has an impressive 0.82 goals against average and has corralled 22 saves.
About No. 4 Martin Methodist
Martin Methodist, like USCB, is undefeated this year at 3-0-1. The Redhawks have played two ranked opponents this year - No. 18 Cumberland and No. 14 John Brown - and they are 1-0-1 in those matches. Martin Methodist will play another ranked opponent before squaring off with USCB on Tuesday, as it will face No. 10 Spring Arbor on Saturday. At MMC Grissom Pitch, the Redhawks are 1-0 with a 3-2 victory over nationally-ranked John Brown.
The Redhawks have recorded 17 goals this year with eight different players recording a goal. Leading the surge are two offensive threats in Mackenzie Stroebel and Adisa Amang. The two players have four goals each and have combined for 19 of the team's 47 points this year. Yuki Watari is another offensive threat, as she has three goals and three assists this year.
In net, Gabby Kennedy has started in three of the four games this year. She has allowed five of the six opponent goals. She has a 0.667 save percentage to go along with her 1.55 goals against average.
Follow It Live
Both schools are providing live streams and live stats for the road contests.
For the live stream link at No. 17 Georgia Gwinnett, click HERE, and to watch the live stats, click HERE.
For the live stream link at No. 4 Martin Methodist, click HERE, and to watch the live stats, click HERE.
What's Next?
The Sand Sharks will end their road trip with a contest at NCAA Division II member Francis Marion on Saturday, Sept. 21. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. in Florence, S.C.
