The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, September 02, 1981, Image 18
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Soccer
By DENNIS SWITZER
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With the season-opener just a few days
away, USC Head Soccer Coach Mark Berson
is enthusiastic about the upcoming season,
but feels the Gamecocks will be tested early
in the year.
The varsity squad opens Friday against
Wheaton in the Carolina Invitational and
returns to the field Saturday against SIUEdwardsviile,
with both games scheduled to
start at 5 p.m.
Berson feels that the 1981 schedule is
"very demanding" with the first four games
against very tough opponents. He believes
that Wheaton is one of the top teams in
NCAA Division 3 while SIU-Edwardsville,
the 1979 national champions, is always a
"powerhouse nationally." The Gamecocks
then go on the road to play Rhode Island and
Connecticut, who could finish in thp ton 1ft
along with SIU-Edwardsville according to
Berson.
But Berson is looking forward to the
upcoming season with a nucleus of good,
experienced players returning. Nineteen
Jettermen and 9 starters return from last
year's 12-5-2 team. Berson also said that this
year was "the most enthusiastic preseason
training that we've ever had."
The only position Berson feels he has a
lack of experience is goalkeeper. I^ast
year's goalkeeper, Glenn Thompson, suf
fered a herniated disk last year and has not
fully recovered. Thompson may be redshir
ted. To take his place Berson recruited
two tenders, who are battling for the starting
job.
Keith Mallon, a transfer from Meramec
Community College in St. Louis, had 10
shutouts in an 18-3 sophomore year.
Freshman Chris Pfaeffle finished two
seasons at Northport, (N.Y.) High with a 31
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2-3 record. Berson feels both are doing a
good job but said, "we are short on experience
in the goal and that will be a key
factor."
On offense, the Gamecocks will be
returning last year's leading scorer Dave
Goodchild, who finished the season with 13
goals and 4 assists, along with sophomore
Tom Norton, who Berson believes will be "a
definite scoring threat". Berson also
predicts that sophomore Mike Menhart will
be a good player at one of the wing positions.
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year's defense, according to Berson. He
says the team is better defensively than last
year with three-year letterman and team
captain John Nitardy returning as the heart
of the defense.
Eric Hawkes at sweeper should help to
anchor the defense along with a five-way
battle among experienced players for two
outside positions that Berson is watching
very closely.
The three-year head coach believes that
this year's schedule is very tough, but points
out that last year's schedule "was pretty
rough itself." With his improved team
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mark.
The Gamecocks finished last season with
a six-game win streak that included a 2-0
victory over Hartwick, who made it to the
NCAA Final Four.
Berson is looking for fan support to help
him out this year. Over the past three years
the Gamecock's home record at the
"Graveyard" is 24-3, with all three losses
coming against nationally-ranked opponents.
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tough place to play,'' said Berson. "We've
had good fan support in the past, but we
need great support this year," he added.
Admission is free to all home games.
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Coach Mark Berscjii is looking for a good season in 1981. ^ ^
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