CLINTON, S.C. – Eight matches is all that remains for the Presbyterian College women's soccer team, looking to build upon its excellent non-conference resume as it's strictly Big South terrain from this point forward.
The Blue Hose will be on the pitch for the first time in 10 days – and playing inside Martin Stadium for the first time since September 8 – with USC Upstate coming to town tomorrow night. PC goes head-to-head with their Spartanburg rivals at 7:00 on ESPN+.
Guided by head coach
Matt Smith in his return to the school where he began his coaching career as an assistant, Presbyterian has seemingly flushed lukewarm preseason projections by achieving the second-best current record of the nine teams in the Big South.
Wednesday's tussle in Clinton will continue PC's detailed history with Upstate, a foe they have faced annually since 2011. The Scotsmen hold a slim lead in the all-time series (Division I era) at 7-6, although the Spartans have taken the last three meetings.
GAMEDAY INFO – WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
Presbyterian (5-3-1) vs. USC Upstate (3-3-2) | 7:00 PM
WATCH: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: StatBroadcast
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT – USC UPSTATE
- Picked to finish second in the conference after qualifying for the Big South Tournament in each of the past two years, the Spartans fell in the league title match last season to Radford 2-1 which left a bad taste on an 11-win trek.
- Head coach Sharif Saber directed USC Upstate to 20 combined victories in his first two seasons, although his '24 roster has yet to find its identity thanks to either a loss or tie in their last four matchups.
- Upstate has not earned an outright win since August 30 (a 4-1 thrashing of VMI), forced to draw with College of Charleston and Wofford along with two defeats at the hands of Furman and South Dakota State.
- The tie with C-of-C ended up being very fortunate for the Spartans, trailing 2-0 at the half before storming back with goals in the 61
st and 76
th minutes that swayed the outcome.
- After a scoreless conclusion with Wofford, Upstate was last seen against SDSU where the Jackrabbits won the match at 64:04. Tomorrow's trip to PC will continue a three-match road stretch for a team that has obtained three shutouts despite its mixed record.
- The Spartans' attack is carried by the 2023 Big South Offensive Player of the Year, Dara Russo. Only a junior, she has already registered 26 career goals (15 last fall), responsible for seven game-winners and 58 total points.
LAST TIME OUT
- Although managing their most non-conference wins since the 2018 season (five), Presbyterian has faced very stiff competition as of late with one tie and two losses in their last three attempts.
- A second-half penalty kick from senior
Sarah Dieffenderfer allowed the Blue Hose to draw a talented Georgia State opponent in their last time playing at home. Following that moment, PC has been kept off the board in back-to-back bad-weather matches at Western Carolina and Mercer.
- Coach Smith's crew competed well despite the end result in both of those affairs, holding two of the SoCon's best to just one goal each. WCU cashed in at 12:48 in the opening half, while Mercer didn't produce the game-winner until there was fewer than 10 minutes left.
- Presbyterian ranks near the top of the Big South in several categories, namely in total points (41, second) and shots-on-goal per game (6.3, third).
- No team in the division has amassed a better save percentage than PC (.833), allowing only nine goals all season which coincidentally ties USC Upstate for the lowest number in the conference.
