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THE GAMECOCK ♦ Wednesday, October 3, 2001 10 |)rngamesghedule CONTACT TIS I ^ I I | I , MEN’S SOCCER vs. Furman, 7 p.m. Wednesday I \ VIA Ikl VOLLEYBALL vs. Kentucky, 7 p.m. Friday Story ideas? Questions? Comments? I W I ■ I It / WOMEN’S SOCCER vs. Kentucky, 7 p.m. Friday Write us at gamecocksports@hotmail.com M M ^ 1 f FOOTBALL vs. Kentucky, l p.m. Saturday WOMEN’S SOCCER vs. Vanderbilt,! p.m. Sunday GAMECOCK SOCCER Joey Worthed scored the game-winning goal last Wednesday against Davidson. It was his third game-winning goal of the season, photo by travis LYNN BACK ON ATTACK Joey Worthen is back, and that means trouble for opponents BY KYLE ALMOND THE GAMECOCK As a forward, Joey Worthen led the USC men’s soccer team in 1999 with 11 goals, but after a position change to the midfield for 2000, he scored only once. This season he’s playing forward again and has more than made up for lost time. Through seven games, the senior from Salt Lake City has scored four goals and is a big reason why the Gamecocks are 6-1 on the year. “He’s just come in and just played tremendous,” USC head coach Mark Berson said. “All credit goes to Joey. He’s got the heart of a warrior, he’s got great determination and that has showed.” Worthen has made his goals count, too. Three have been game-winners, with his most recent coming last week against Davidson. Considering his recent form, it’s hard to imagine Worthen playing any where but forward, but that was the case last season. For the first time in his soccer career, he was moved from that position. His new post was on the right half of the midfield, playing the flank. Ryan Daley, then a freshman, took over up top alongside Jordan Quinn, and Worthen was left to make his mark be hind them. It was admittedly a tough break for Worthen, but he didn’t sulk. “It was hard, especially after being the leading goal scorer the year before, but I think it was right.” Worthen said, “Daley and Jordan came in, and they were playing well up top and played well together. “It is frustrating to not be up there, but if our team is playing well and that’s where I need to be, then I’m will ing to do that for the team. We had a good year last year. As long as the team is winning and doing well, then that’s fine.” Berson said Worthen just wasn’t in top form last season for various rea sons, but his hard work in the offsea son proved he was capable of playing forward again. “This year, he had a great spring playing up top, and he worked hard this summer playing in the PDL (Premier Development League),” Berson said. When the new season kicked off against Penn State, Worthen was back at the forward position next to Quinn, and it was Daley who was playing the new position — as an attacking mid fielder. So far, the new formation has been very effective. All three players — Worthen, Quinn and Daley — have been piling up the goals. The trio has 13 goals among them, and Worthen couldn’t be happier. “Last year playing on the outside half, that’s where I needed to be for the team, so I was willing to do that,” Worthen said. “But I am a lot happier up top and just feel more comfortable on the ball and more comfortable go ing to goal that way. “All growing up, I played up top. That’s obviously where I feel more comfortable; that’s where I’m experi enced playing. I like being up there and having the opportunity to score goals.” Tonight, Worthen will have that op portunity again when the No. 17 Game cocks travel to Greenville to take on No. 16 Furman. The Paladins are un defeated on the year and are looking to stay that way against their in-state ri vals. The game will kick off at 7 p.m. Berson anticipates hard-fought bat tles in the Gamecocks’ next two games, against Furman and then Clemson on Sunday. “Both are on the road, so those will be big challenges,” he said. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecocksports@hotmail.com. BY PRESTON BAINES THE (JAMECOCK It didn’t take the No. 11 ranked Clemson Tigers long to put away the Gamecocks on Tuesday night in Clemson. Tricia Williams put Clemson on the board from close range at the 15:48 mark, and it turned out to be all the Lady Tigers needed en route to a 3D victory over Carolina. With the loss, USC fell to 5-2-2, while Clemson improved to 6-1. Clemson coach Todd Bramble was very happy with the start for the Tigers. “I am happy in the fact that we came out with a fast start; however, we are going to have to learn to be sharp for the en tire game,” Bramble said. Williams’ goal came on an awkward play. Clemson’s Lind say Browne took a shot from 12 yards out that bounced off a Car olina defender. Williams cleaned up the mess with an easy shot at goal. Browne then proved to be the thorn in the side of the Game cocks again, beating the Game cocks’ defense with a shot past the left post at the 30:10 mark. The Tigers didn’t waste any time to get back on the board. Deliah Arrington headed her sixth goal of the year in the up per right corner of the goal to end the scoring. The win was the sixth in sev en games for Clemson against the Lady Gamecocks. The loss was the second in a row for USC, which started off the season with a seven-game unbeaten streak. Clemson outshot Carolina at a 14-6 clip. Carolina did get a lot of help from Elise Matthews, who didn’t allow a goal after re placing Carolyn Ortega in the second half. In the last seven games against Clemson, Carolina has been outscored 26-4. The shutout was the fifth of the season for Clemson. The Gamecocks will be back in action against Kentucky on Friday night at The Graveyard. * Jessica Julin, left, and Morgan McIntyre, photo courtesy use media guide Greatest games of the ‘Lou Holtz era ’ KYLE ALMOND JBLAZINI24@HOTMAIL.COM Wow. That’s about the only thing I could say moments after the USC football team completed one of its greatest comebacks in history Saturday. I admit, with the Gamecocks down 12 and only nine minutes left in the game, I started to think they might have run out of lifelines. I thought that after winning squeakers at Georgia and Missi ssippi State, Carolina didn’t have anything left in the tank. My pessimistic thoughts quickly subsided as I watched the Gamecocks prove me wrong. The comeback was pretty unbelievable, but perhaps even more amazing is the fact that USC has won 12 of its last 16 games. After starting the Lou Holtz era with 11 straight defeats, this team has won 75 percent of its games. Many ot tnose wins were so exciting that we’ll just never forget them. Who will forget the win that broke the losing streak, a 31-0 victory over New Mexico State? Who will forget the upset of No. 9 Georgia the following week? And no one should forget the Outback Bowl win over Ohio State. Then there were the great plays that we’ll never forget. The Kimrey fade. Petty to Scott. And now, Petty to Trafford. Just where does this Alabama win rank among all the others? Is it the greatest win of the Lou Holtz era? Here’s my take of the five greatest wins, in order of great ness and subject to discussion, of the Holtz tenure: 1 — JAN. 1,2001-USC 24, OHIO STATE 7 (OUTBACK BOWL) Come on, was there really any doubt? USC completed the second-best turnaround in NCAA Division I history with this utter thrashing of the Buckeyes in Tampa, Fla. Ryan Brewer put himself among the greats in Gamecock history with just one game. Three touchdowns and a ton of yards against a team that basically said he wasn’t good enough for them. It was a storybook finish to a storybook season that, fittingly, ended on the first day of 2001. It was only the second bowl win ever for USC and certainly the most convincing. t - sm. zuui - usu 37, ALABAMA 36 This win leapfrogs all but the Outback Bowl win because the comeback was just that good. Yeah, we were supposed to win in the first place, and we played one of our worst defensive games in a long time. But as far as sheer excitement goes, this one was better than the rest. “This was the biggest win of my college career,” Derek Watson said Saturday. He wasn’t at Tampa. 3 - SEPT. 9, 2000 - USC 21, GEORGIA 10 The most improbable win of the Holtz era. USC shocked the Bulldogs, a favorite for the SEC title, on national television in only its second game of the season. The Gamecocks picked off Heisman Trophy candidate Quincy Carter five times in the upset, and Watson rushed for three touchdowns. The goalposts came down, and so did an 18 game conference losing streak. 4— SEPT. 8, 2001 - USC 14, GEORGIA 9 The Gamecocks proved to the ♦ ALMOND, SEE PAGE 11