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men • cominueo proui 8 Berson felt a quality exhibition was essential before facing the Tigers at Clemson on Friday. Anything can happen on a Friday night. In that game, you never know.” MARK BERSON USC coach “Very important to play a top team. Anything can happen on Friday night. In that game you never know. But, you know, this game clearly gives us a lot of confidence of where we want to be right now,” Berson said. With last year’s top scorers out to injury in sophomore Sebastian Lindholm and senior Ryan Deter, the striking core would seem to be depleted. However, Akinsete, Charest, Alcala and junior Mike Sambursky all had opportunities against a skilled Coastal team. “I hope he has a few more of those left in him,” Berson said of Paracat’s stunning goal. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocksports@gwm.sc.edu , Juan Bias 1TUE GAMECOCK Sophomore midfielder Ramon Paracat prepares to throw the ball during Saturday’s exhibition game against Coastal Carolina. women • conTinoen moms standouts. “I was really nervous, but once I got on the field, the nerves went away,” said Hogan, a freshman. “I was just really excited to play.” USC coach Shelley Smith was pleased not only with the play of her freshmen, but with the team as a whole. “Our goal production was a surprise, well, not a surprise, but it showed an improvement from last year when we struggled to really put the ball in the bucket,” Smith said. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocksports@gwm. sc. edu WOMEN’S SOCCER SCHEDULE TODAY FRIDAY SUNDAY SEPT. 9 SEPT. 11 SEPT. 18 SEPT. 23 SEPT. 25 SEPT. 30 OCT. 2 OCT. 7 OCT. 9 OCT. 14 OCT. 16 OCT. 21 Furman Rhode Island (Auburn Tournament) Cal State Fullerton (Auburn Tournament) @ Clemson (Carolina Cup) Charlotte (Carolina Cup) Miami (Fla.) Auburn Alabama @ Georgia @ Tennessee Vanderbilt Kentucky @ Mississippi @ Mississippi St. Arkansas 7 p.m. 5:30 p.m. 1 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 1 p.m. 11 a.m. 7 p.m. 2 p.m. 7 p.m. 2 p.m. 7 p.m. 2 p.m. 8 p.m. 2 p.m. 7 p.m. Gators coach reacts to Leaks SI appearance Ian fisher (U. FLORIDA) INDEPENDENT FLORIDA ALLIGATOR GAINESVILLE, FLA. — Apparently, Florida offensive coordinator Dan Mullen has never heard of the Sports Illustrated jinx. When SI hit newsstands this week, Chris Leak graced the cover as an “unstoppable player,” and Mullen was nothing but excited about it. “I haven’t got it yet,” Mullen said, glancing over a miniature black-and-white copy of the magazine’s cover. “I need to get the real magazine ... so I can have him sign it for me and put it on my wall of feme of people that I’ve actually met in my life that are famous.” All kidding aside, though, Mullen said it was an honor for not only Leak, but UF as well. Right there plastered on the front with Leak is UF at No. 3 in Si’s preseason poll. Mullen said Leak won’t feel any of the additional pressure that the lofty national prediction brings. “No matter where they picked us, if they picked us No. 1 or No. 116, the expectations ate going to be reajly high,” Mullen said. “So I don’t think that changes expectations for Chris.” This was the sixth time that UF has been featured on the cover of SI. Leak appears On issues circulating throughout the Southeast, while Texas’ Vince Young and USC’s Reggie Bush are featured on covers in their respective regions. Leak practiced during Wednesday’s morning session, after which interviews aren’t permitted, and was unavailable for comment following the team’s evening workout. MAKING THE CUT Coach Urban Meyer was proud to announce that most of his team made his champion’s club for the summer. Meyer rewards players who succeed in all aspects on and off the field with a champion’s club membership. Only about 20 players made Meyer’s first induction during the spring, but the coach said he needed about 90 members to have a chance to be successful this year. “It’s basically all of them. Every one that will step on the field this year is a champion club [pnember],” Meyer said. “There, were two or three guys, I believe, that didn’t make it.” However, Meyer said during the summer, obtaining membership was quite easier. “The first one is the hardest because first of all, they don’t know [about the club],” he said. “And second of all, you check every little thing in January, February, March. In the summer, all they have to do is make strength gains and stay out of trouble, and they did that.” FIELDTURF FIRST The Gators practiced on their new FieldTurf practice field for the first time Wednesday due to wet conditions at the team’s temporary Village South Fields location. The new facility is shorter than a normal football field, but Meyer said it will be useful during the season. “You wish you had about another 30 yards, but I think someone said 18 of the NFL teams have that turf now,” Meyer said. “A lot of colleagues in the profession say it’s almost at times better than grass because you don’t have the divots.” Meyer said it was about 10 degrees hotter on the surface, but he didn’t notice. Check out The Gamecock's PRE-GAME COVERAGE IN A THIS SPECIAL SECTION PUBLISHED THE FRIDAY • BEFORE EVERY GAME. FIRST ISSUE: 110 SPECIALTY STORES, MINUTES FROM USC. For the best selection of stores in the area, just take I-26 toward Spartanburg and exit at either 102A (Irmo) or 103 (Harbison). Abercrombie & Fitch • American Eagle • Express • Gap • Hollister Co. ( SB G«8«rai Grawti Prajwtm. he., ) www.coiumbian3centre.cofn