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Men’s soccer tops Penn State BY KYLE ALMOND TllgISAMECOCK For the second straight season, the USC men’s soccer team has a chance to knock off the top ranked team in the nation. Last year, in only its third game of the season, Carolina up set then-No. 1 Virginia 2-1 at a tournament in Maryland. This year’s team, in only its second game of the season, will look to duplicate that effort today against No. 1 SMU at the Aaron Olitsky Memorial Classic in Charleston. “There’s a lot of similarities,” USC head coach Mark Berson said, comparing today’s game with the Virginia game last year. “It would be nice to have it play out the same way.” USC followed the Virginia game last year with wins in six of its next seven games, and senior forward Joey Worthen is hoping a win over SMU can produce the same results. “It’s a great opportunity to go up there and see how you fare against a team like that,” Worthen said. “I think after com ing off wins last year against Virginia and Maryland, it was a huge confidence builder for the team, and it kind of sets the tone for the rest of the season.” Beating SMU will be no easy task. The Mustangs (2-0) return 10 starters from last year’s Final Four team and have two Hermann Trophy candidates in midfielder Carl Bussey and for ward Mohamed Fahim. The Hermann Trophy is given annu Low Prices on USC Flags, License Plates, Magnetic Signs, Visors, Rain Ponchos, T-shirts, & Decals J Large Selection of USC gamecock caps \ i $6.00 with this coupon ■ 765-0818 • Comer of Lady & Assembly St. (2 blks. from Capitol) named tournament MVP, but also SEC Player of the Week for her performance in the tournament. In the Hofstra game, Hosp tal lied 36 assists and a team-high 15 dig9i Against Santa Clara, she again made 36 assists. “Beating not only ASU but win ning the tournament in Arizona was a huge step for us. It proves to everyone that we are a mature team and we have come along way. We will be a great team as long as we keep growing. One of our great strengths is how the up perclassman run the team and that has a good deal to do with our success,” Hosp said. Head coach Kim Christopher attributed Hosp’s ability to run the offense well to the early suc cess USC has gained.' “The team is working well together. A large part of that is because Megan has accept ed her leadership role. Chemistry has been one of the strengths of this team and each one of the ladies did a very good job of accepting their role. It’s early, but I like what I have seen so far," Christopher said. Volleyball USC Volleyball to take on best in Miami Classic CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 of my family,” Sefferovich said. “For many of them, it was the first time they have seen me play in college.” Dwyer also had a strong show ing against the Flying Dutchwomen, hitting .583 with eight kills, five digs, two block as sists and two aces. Sefferovich also had a strong game in the finale against Arizona State, as she led USC with 19 kills en route to hitting .227. Redshirt freshman middle blocker Niece Curry had a nice debut in the Sun Devil Challenge, notching 32 kills for the whole tournament. In the first game of the Santa Clara match, she hit .883 and racked up five kills. However, the star of the Sun Devil Challenge was junior setter Megan Hosp, who not only was past Wildcats goalkeeper Sarah Hobart to give USC a 1-0 lead. Minutes later, midfielder Melissa Hutson fired in a 20-yard shot to give the Gamecocks a 2-0 lead. Ashley Williams put the next point on the board, driving down the field and scoring from 25 yards out. The Gamecocks put in one more score with 23 seconds re maining in the game. Kristen Schreiber beat out Hobart to the left comer to make the final score 4-0. Today, USC will start play in the San Diego State Classic. “This will be a tough tourna ment and a good test for our team," Smith said. “It is always interesting when you travel out to the West Coast. We don’t know as much about these teams as we do about our SEC opponents. I think our team has confidence af ter these first two games and it is a great opportunity.” USC opens up today against host San Diego State. The Aztecs have posted a 2-0 record on the season and have won both of their games by a decisive 3-0 score. On Sunday, the Lady Gamecocks will finish the tour nament when they take on the UNLV Running Rebels. The Rebels are also 1-0-1. USC has never played in California in their seven-year his tory. The Lady Gamecocks will re turn home for a match next Wednesday versus Furman. BY CHRIS FOY THE GAMECOCK In what has been an all-out turnaround for the women’s soc cer team, the Lady Gamecocks (1 0-1) picked up their first win of the season Tuesday night at the Graveyard. Led by an offensive blitz in the second half, South Carolina pulled out a 4-0 victory over Davidson. The win was the first under new head coach Shelley Smith. “Our team was able to keep the ball in their end, and we were able to finish,” Smith said. “After we scored the first goal, we gained some confidence and kept shoot ing and we were able to get com fortable and score some more." After struggling all of last sea son on both sides of the ball, the 2001 Lady Gamecocks have shown no similarities to last year’s squad. USC hasn’t given up a goal so far this season. Offensively, the Gamecocks have unveiled more firepower than last year’s team could ever muster. In their two games this season, the Gamecocks have out shot their opponents 52-16. Carolina’s four goals against Davidson are more then USC had in any game last year. Tuesday night, despite going scoreless in the first half, the Gamecocks got on the board In the first two minutes of the sec ond half. At the 46:41 mark, sopho more midfielder Becca Epstein took a Lydia Bienias service in the penalty box and put in a shot Gamecocks top Davidson . NufaloM&h’ Theatre Independent & International Cinema THE ANNIVERSARY PARTY SEPT. 7 -12 Written & directed by Jennifer Jason Leigh and Alan Cumming, a smart comedy with sharp performances by a terrific ensemble cast, also starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin Kline, Jennifer Beals, others. COLOSSAL FILM CRAWL SEPT 13 STARTIIRCOM SEPT. 14 18 A big hit at film festivals and biz schools, this documentary follows two friends as they start a dot-com, raise millions, and go bust! movie info: www.nickelodeon.org or coll 254-3433 1 Block from (JSC @ Main & Pendleton Want to write for Gamecock Sports? Call 777-7182 or write to gamecocksports@hotmail.com or stop by the newsroom (Russell House room 333) Advantage Alarm Systems your We °ffer: authorized ADT dealer •Sign On Bonus is currently hiring for •Health Ins Benefits full and part time ^01K positions in our Columbia^ ...„ . branch (No Experience Hol,day and Necessary)\ We are Vacation Pay looking for a few •Tuition Reimbursement fun-loving people with For Cash A Prizes great attitudes to join ,Pa/d Trainina our next training class. 09 Gamecock Sports Challenge Sports Asst.Sports Sports Sports Guest of the Reader of Editor Editor Designer Columnist week the week (0-0) (0-0) (0-0) (0-0) (0-0) (0-0) U SC/Georgia USC USC USC USC Georgia USC Eresno St/Wlsconsln Fresno St Wisconsin Wisconsin Wisconsin Wisconsin Fresno St N. Dame/Nebraska Nebraska Nebraska Nebraska Nebraska Nebraska Nebraska K-State/South. Cal Kansas St. So. Cal. Kansas St So. Cal. So. Cal. So. Cal. Wofford/demson Clemson Clemson Clemson Clemson Clemson Clemson Ole Mlss/Aubum Ole Miss Auburn Ole Miss Auburn Auburn Ole Miss Michigan/Wash. Michigan Washington Michigan Washington Michigan Washington This week’s SEC schedule: Alabama (0-1) at Vanderbilt (0-1) Ball State (0-1) at Kentucky (0-1) Ole Miss (1-0) at Auburn (1-0) Louisiana-Monroe (0-1) at Florida (1-0) Utah State (0-1) at Lousiana State (1-0) South Carolina (1-0) at Georgia (1-0) Tennessee (1-0) at Arkansas (1-0) actions could be: Maybe they take football just a little bit too seriously. Though USC fans have no problem with living their lives through football and not getting carried away by their emotions. And the answer is.... There isn’t an answer to it. Even the most arrogant fans in the world—Florida Gator fans— aren’t as downright rude and violent as the Dawgfans. For some reason, UGA fans just have an attitude separate from the rest of the Southeast. So if you are going to Athens this weekend, have fun. It is a great town and probably the best place to have tailgate parties in the SEC. The thing to remember is not to make eye contact with the fana. Even if you don’t, you could be in for a dogfight, literally. Baines What to expect this weekend in Athens CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 Another reason the Dawgfans can’t seem to keep their feelings to themselves could be because the huge amount of males at the game can’t score with the extremely high amount of girls that attend UGA. It’s a well known fact that nothing drives guys to fights like girls do. Since UGA and USC always meet'at the beginning of the season, maybe they are just extra aggressive this early. Wait, that couldn't be it. UGA fans have always been mean to whomever they play and always will be. But the top reason for their USC will continue play in Charleston against TCU on Sunday. The Horned Frogs are 1-1 this season. This weekend’s tournament is named after a former College of Charleston soccer player who was killed last February in a car accident. Proceeds from the tournament will go toward a scholarship in his name. Today’s game against SMU will kick off at 5 p.m. Sunday’s will start at 1 p.m. Both games will be held at Patriot’s Point on the College of Charleston campus. pressive for us (against Penn State) was the heart, the determi nation and the character that these guys showed coming back in the second half,” Berson said. “They didn’t panic, and we didn’t change anything. We just played our same game with a little more intensity and took advantage of what we were able to create.” Though Carolina might not be as strong offensively as SMU, it will try to counter with organiza tion and teamwork. “Coach said that, individually, they’re very strong, but as a team, he thinks we’re better than them,” senior defender Ryan Stocking said. Forward Joey Worthen moves the ball upfield. file photo ally to the nation’s top player in Division I-A soccer. “They’re very talented,” Berson said. “They’re kind of a run-and-gun group... a wide-open group. They’ll really come at you. And their goalkeeping is very sol id, so they don’t mind leaving themselves a bit exposed in the back.” SMU was the top scoring team in Division I-A last season, and most of those goals came from Fahim, who had 25 to lead the team. But the Gamecocks might be in luck, as Fahim’s playing sta tus is uncertain because of an in jured ankle. Berson expects him to be back. “He’s had another week to get well, so we certainly have to pre pare that he’s going to be in there,” he said. With or without Fahim, the Mustangs are loaded with talent. Junior midfielder Luchi Gonzalez was second on the team in scor ing last season with 12 goals and 15 assists, and sophomore mid fielder Diego Walsh was the Missouri Valley Conference’s Player of the Year in 2000, with 10 goals and 14 assists. “They’re just a really solid team,” Berson said. “Their weak nesses are few and their strengths are many, so we have our work cut out for us.” The No. 19 Gamecocks (1-0) come into the game with confi dence after a come-from-behind win over Penn State this past weekend. USC was down two goals at halftime but rallied for a 3-2 victory. “The thing that was most im ! thletic Club ] | Student Member skip \ i_4 MONTHS $129 j